UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 464
OF 23230OZ MARCH 93
UNCLASSIFIED
12.5.
Bredie (Break)
HKB 301/2 TOP COPY
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
Q DIST?
106457
MDLIAN, 2582
10
DESK OFFICER INDEX
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
PART ONE OF TWO
HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (17.3
SUMMARY
-
23.3)
1. LU PING'S PRESS CONFERENCE AND REMARKS BY OTHER CHINESE OFFICIALS ON HK'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT FEATURED. REPORTS ON THE SETTING UP OF A ''PREPARATORY COMMITTEE'' ALSO RECEIVED WIDE COVERAGE.
GAZETTAL OF BILL
2. LEFT-WING PAPERS REPORTED (17.3) JIANG ZEMIN'S REMARKS AT A MEETING WITH A DELEGATION FROM TIBET AS SAYING IT WAS A SHAME FOR CHINESE PEOPLE THAT HK HAD BECOME A COLONY AND THE CHINESE WOULD NOT SWAY ON THEIR STANCE ON HK ISSUES.
3.
AFTER EXCO THE GOVERNOR SAID (17.3) THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SET OUT ITS POSITION AS POSITIVELY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY AS POSSIBLE IN A CLAM AND COOL TONE OF VOICE BUT NOT WITHOUT PRINCIPLE AND THE DETERMINATION TO WORK FOR THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JD. AS REGARDS THE TIMING FOR INTRODUCING THE BILL TO LEGCO THE GOVERNOR SAID THE PREPARATION OF LEGISLATION WAS STEADY PROGRESS. FIRST, IT REQUIRED EXCO TO ENDORSE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE PROCESS OF GAZETTAL AND THEN IN DUE COURSE THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE THE BILL TO LEGCO. THE GOVERNOR SAID THE HKG WANTED TO WORK HARD FOR ORDINARY FAMILIES AND THE ORDINARY PEOPLE OF HK. AT AN INTERVIEW WITH THE BBC, THE GOVERNOR SAID THERE WERE TWO ARGUMENTS. THE LARGER ONE WAS ABOUT WHETHER ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LAST ELECTIONS UNDER BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY SHOULD BE FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE HK PEOPLE. THE MORE IMMEDIATE ARGUMENT WAS ABOUT WHETHER WHEN TALKING ABOUT THOSE ARRANGEMENTS, HKG OFFICIALS SHOULD, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A DECADE, BE CUT OUT OF THE BRITISH TEAM FOR THE TALKS. BOTH WERE MATTERS OF PRINCIPLE THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE PURSUING WITH
1
PAGE UNCLASSIFIED