CONFIDENTIAL
034424
761
MDHIAN
3.
OVER LUNCH WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WENT INTO MORE DETAIL OVER THE THREE MAIN ISSUES FUNCTIONAL CONSISTENCIES, THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE THROUGH-TRAIN. HE COMMENTED THAT IT WAS NOT
EASY FOR CHINA TO ARGUE FOR A NARROWER FRANCHISE AT A TIME
WHEN MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES WERE WIDENING THEIR DEMOCRATIC BASE. NOR WOULD IT BE EASY FOR THEM TO START IN 1997 BY THROWING ELECTED MEMBERS OFF LEGCO . HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CRITICISM OF BRITISH POLICY BY SOME, SUCH AS LEE KUAN YEW. BUT HE STRESSED THAT HONG KONG WAS DIFFERENT FROM SINGAPORE: THERE WAS A REAL POLITICAL DIMENSION AND CHINA HAD TO ACCEPT
THAT THEIR PHRASE OF TWO SYSTEMS IN ONE COUNTRY HAD TO BE MADE TO WORK IN REALITY.
SEE MIFT FOR THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S REMARKS ON HONG KONG
IN HIS SPEECH TO THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF POLICY STUDIES.
DUGGAN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
72
DISTRIBUTION
79
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
SEAD
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS
LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES
NEWS D
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
ADDITIONAL
7
CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO) CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES
CAOFF//MR SIBSON PS NO 10.
NNNN