to enter into secret talks with China without saying anything to
the people of Hong Kong about matters of such close concern to them. That would have caused great uncertainty and anxiety in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Legislative Council will have to pass the necessary legislation. Their views, and the views of Hong
Kong people, must be taken into account. We are ready for consultation with China, but not as an excuse for indefinite
delay.
Some two months ago we renewed our efforts to get talks with China underway. There were intensive diplomatic exchanges in Peking but disappointingly, despite considerable efforts on our part, we were unable to reach agreement on a satisfactory basis for these talks. We had accepted that they should be on the
basis of the Joint Declaration, the principle of convergence
with the Basic Law and the relevant understandings and
agreements reached between us. We consider the Governor's proposals are fully compatible with these. But we could not accept a new, last-minute condition that Hong Kong officials
should not be included as full members of the British team, an
arrangement that has been the norm for the past 10 years. We cannot accept China's description of such participation as
"interference by third parties".
While these discussions were going on in Peking we did everything possible to create the right climate. The Governor, with the advice of his Executive Council in Hong Kong, put off
four times his original plan to publish his proposals in the form of draft legislation. But, as we had told the Chinese side, we could not delay indefinitely. We need to pass legislation before the Legislative Council rises for its summer
recess in July, so that practical arrangements for the 1994
local elections in Hong Kong can go ahead.
goodlad.speech.PR.JRB