UNCLASSIFIED
151032
MDLIAN 6232
BETWEEN MR GOODLAD AND THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR MA YUZHEN. THE REPORT SAID THAT BOTH OF THEM HAD TOUCHED ON THE OBSTACLES TO TALKS AND RAISED THEIR OWN BOTTOM LINES. THE SOURCES ALSO ADMITTED THAT SOME FORMER BRITISH OFFICIALS AND CHINA EXPERTS HAD DIFFERENT VIEWS ON HOW THE GOVERNOR SHOULD HAVE HANDLED THE HK ISSUE BUT THESE VIEWS WOULD NOT HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE DECISION- MAKING OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THE SOURCES SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD DEFER INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL TO LEGCO ONLY IF THERE WERE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN RE-OPENING TALKS IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
·
PAPERS (8.4) WIDELY NOTED SCA, MICHAEL SZE'S REPLY TO THE LEGCO CONSTITUTIONAL PANEL AS SAYING THAT DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS WERE BEING KEPT OPEN IN LONDON BETWEEN MR GOODLAD AND THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR MA YUZHEN. HE SAID THAT BOTH OF THEM HAD KEPT REGULAR CONTACTS ON MATTERS CONCERNING HK INCLUDING CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. HE ALSO SAID THAT MEDIA REPORTS SAYING THAT THE BILL WOULD BE TABLED IN MID-MAY AFTER THE GOVERNOR'S TRIP TO THE US WERE UNFOUNDED SPECULATION.
SINO-BRITISH TRADE
19. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (2.4) QUOTED A MOFERT OFFICIAL AN MIN AS SAYING THAT EVEN THOUGH SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS HAD DETERIORATED BECAUSE OF HK POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOT SANCTION AGAINST BRITISH INTERESTS. HE ADDED THAT INDIVIDUAL BRITISH CONSORTIUM MIGHT NEED TO MEND TIES WITH CHINA CITING JARDINES AS AN EXAMPLE.
FORD
YYYY
MAIN
65
DISTRIBUTION
71
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES
PAGE
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
5
UNCLASSIFIED
Page 285Page 286