CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 828
OF 201749Z SEP 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
Ma. Predia (6
pa
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
MKB 301/1
нив
2 SEP 1993
YOUR TELNO 1489 : HONG KONG TALKS : PRESS BRIEFINGS
0166
064474 MDHOAN/8325
1. WE AGREE THAT THE TIME HAS COME TO COUNTER THE STEADY LEAKS BY THE CHINESE SIDE IN HONG KONG OF THEIR VERSION OF THE STORY. WE ALSO AGREE GENERALLY WITH THE KEY POINTS TO GET ACROSS, AS SET OUT IN TUR.
2. WE CERTAINLY WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR (YOUR PARA 2(IV) THAT WE HAVE MADE SERIOUS EFFORTS TO MEET THE MAIN CONCERNS OF THE CHINESE SIDE, IN CONTRAST TO THEIR STUBBORN REFUSAL TO MEET OUR ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT OF OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN. WE SHOULD HOWEVER AVOID TOO MUCH OF A SENSE OF FINALITY IN OUR DESCRIPTION OF THE CHINESE POSITION, OR THE IMPLICATION THAT WE THINK THE TALKS ARE NOW BOUND TO FAIL. SPECIFICALLY:
(A) THE LAST SENTENCE OF YOUR PARA 2(III) SHOULD READ QUOTE UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE SO FAR BEEN UNABLE UNQUOTE:
(B) WE SUGGEST THE SECOND SENTENCE OF PARA 2(V) SHOULD BEGIN QUOTE THEY HAVE TO DATE NOT BEEN PREPARED...UNQUOTE.
3. AT THE SAME TIME, IN VIEW OF THE PRO-DEMOCRACY CONSTITUENCY WHICH WE WANT TO KEEP ON OUR SIDE, WE THINK IT WOULD BE WORTH DEPLOYING THE FOLLOWING TWO GLOSSES ON OUR POSITION.
(A) THAT UNDER OUR REVISED PROPOSALS THE ELECTION COMMITTEE WOULD STILL CONSIST OF PEOPLE WHO HAD THEMSELVES BEEN ELECTED:
(B) THAT OUR REVISED PROPOSALS FOR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WOULD STILL PRODUCE A LARGE ENOUGH FRANCHISE TO AVOID RIGGING.
ON A MATTER OF DETAIL, WE ASSUME YOU ARE REFERRING IN YOUR PARA 2(IV) A TO ANNEX 1 OF THE BASIC LAW.
4.
WE AGREE THAT REVEALING THE MORE OBNOXIOUS ITEMS AMONG THE CHINESE PROPOSALS IS A MORE DELICATE MATTER, WHICH WILL NEED
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