SECRET
British Embassy
Peking
2 July 1993
PF Ricketts Esq
HKD FCO
(BY CLASSIFIED FAX DESKBY 020900Z)
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SECRETARY OF STATE'Š VISIT TO PEKING
1. Thank you for copying to me your letter of 1 July to Martin Dinham covering revised speaking notes.
2.
I have already had my say on most of the points which arise, but your letter reminds me that I forgot to put to you and Hong Kong a thought which the Ambassador had before leaving here: does our proposed principle that
arrangement for the
"the elections which take place in the Election Committee
should themselves be open and fair"
mean that we are opposed to the Committee voting by secret ballot, or is it likely that the Chinese would interpret it in this sense?
3.
Perhaps it would be better for the Secretary of State to insist that the Committee's electoral procedures must be clear and fair (of course it is not just its voting method which is at issue, but also the nomination procedure etc.)? In any case all would remain subject to the general criterion that the electoral arrangements must be open, fair and acceptable to the people of Hong Kong.
Your
Nige
eve
N J COX
00
M Dinham Esq., Government House, Hong Kong
A C Galsworthy Esq. CMG, UKRep JLG Hong Kong
SECRET