10
OUT TELEGRAM (CONT)
CONFIDENTIAL
Cavent
DESKBY
!
NOT DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO THE PRESENT DEBATE, WE SHOULD NOT PUBLISH THEM NOW (BUT IF THE CHINESE MAKE A MEAL OF THE POINT, WE
WOULD HAVE NO DIFFICULTY ABOUT DOING SO.) HONG KONG WOULD AT
THE SAME TIME MAKE PUBLIC A COMMENTARY, THE TEXT OF WHICH WE
HAVE AGREED WITH THE GOVERNOR (TEXT FOLLOWS IN MIFT THIS SHOULD
NOT BE GIVEN TO THE CHINESE).
3.
PLEASE THEREFORE SEEK A MEETING ON 26 OCTOBER WITH THE STATE
COUNCIL HONG KONG AND MACAO AFFAIRS OFFICE AND SPEAK ON THE
FOLLOWING LINES :
-
LU PING PROPOSED THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD CONSIDER THE
PUBLICATION OF THE EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES RELATING TO
THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THE
IN THE LIGHT OF LU PING'S ACTION IN REFERRING TO THESE CONFIDENTIAL FACTS
EXCHANGES AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, - WE
LU PING
HAVE CONSIDERED THIS PROPOSAL AND HAVE DECIDED TO DO AS
SUGGESTED. ACCORDINGLY, HONG KONG WILL BE MAKING PUBLICI
THE TEXTS OF THE THREE DOCUMENTS WHICH DEAL IN SUBSTANCE WITH THE
COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE (AS IN PARA 2 ABOVE) DURING
THE MORNING OF 26 OCTOBER HONG KONG TIME
4.
PLEASE REPORT TO HONG KONG AS SOON AS YOU HAVE TAKEN ACTION.
ONCE HONG KONG RECEIVE THIS TRIGGER, THEY HAVE DISCRETION TO
PUBLISH THE TEXTS AND THE COVERING COMMENTARY. WE WILL PROBABLY
WISH TO MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO THE PRESS AT THIS END AS WELL.
5. IF UNEXPECTEDLY THE CHINESE ASK YOU NOT (NOT) TO PUBLISH,
HONG KONG SHOULD NOT TAKE ACTION UNTIL WE HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO
TAKE STOCK. BY TAKING THAT LINE, THEY WOULD HAVE PUT US IN A
STRONGER TACTICAL POSITION, AND WE WOULD NEED TO REFLECT TOGETHER
ON HOW BEST TO EXPLOIT THAT.
HURD
YYYY
STOCK No. C037C YF87