SECRET
HKB 012/6
TOP COPY
p.m. China Angle
1572472 MDHOAN 2909
SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 22003OZ PEKING
TELNO 836
OF 211943Z OCTOBER 92
Q DIST ?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
(90
1457:ELE
YOUR TELNO 1457:ELECTION COMMITTEE
1. WE AGREE THAT THIS IS TRICKY.
2.
WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PAPERS AVAILABLE TO US HERE. WE HAVE NOT (NOT) TURNED UP ANY FURTHER MESSAGES OR PAPERS HANDED TO THE CHINESE SIDE WHICH COULD BE USED AGAINST US ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. WE HAVE IN PARTICULAR LOOKED CAREFULLY THROUGH THE PAPERS ON SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S MISSION TO PEKING IN DECEMBER 1989. BUT ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THERE ON ELECTORAL ISSUES WERE ON THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS.
3. WE BELIEVE THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF REBUTTING LU PING WILL BE FOR THE GOVERNOR TO MAKE SOME BROAD POLITICAL POINTS RATHER THAN PLAYING LU PING AT HIS OWN GAME OF WHO SAID WHAT, WHEN.
4.
WE PROPOSE THAT THE GOVERNOR MIGHT SPEAK ON THE FOLLOWING
LINES:
THE EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES IN LATE 1989 AND EARLY 1990 ON THE ELECTORAL ASPECTS OF THE BASIC LAW
WERE IN THE CONTEXT OF AN EFFORT TO REACH A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS
-
AS THE CHINESE SIDE WELL KNOW, THE EVENTUAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ADOPTED IN THE BASIC LAW WERE NOT FULLY SATISFACTORY IN OUR VIEW, PARTICULARLY ON THE QUESTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS FOR THE 1995
ELECTIONS
- THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID IN HIS MESSAGE TO QIAN OF 9 FEBRUARY
1990 THAT HE HOPED THAT AS THE CHINESE SIDE OBSERVED THE 1991 LEGCO IN OPERATION, THEY WOULD COME TO SHARE OUR VIEW THAT A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION WAS DESIRABLE, AND AGREE TO SUCH AN INCREASE IN DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1995. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO PRESS THIS ISSUE, RESPONDING TO THE WISH OF