UNCLASSIFIED
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Constit. Derpt
065741 40
MDHIAN 6668
MAN3 017/2
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1532
OF 04114OZ JUNE 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
NT
OUR TELNO 1497: DEMOCRACY AND THE BASIC LAW: PRESS REACTION TO MR. GOODLAD'S COMMENTS.
SUMMARY
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CONTINUED EDITORIAL COMMENT ON THE POSSIBILITY OF AMENDING THE BASIC LAW. LONG COMMENTARY IN WEN WEI PO ARGUING THAT HMG'S REAL AGENDA IS TO GET MARTIN LEE ON TO EXCO.
DETAIL
2.
THE DEBATE STIRRED UP BY MR. GOODLAD'S COMMENTS HAS CONTINUED UNABATED. A SIGNED COMMENTARY BY LAM CHUNG-HIU IN WEN WEI PO TODAY (4 JUNE) REAFFIRMS THAT UNTIL THE BASIC LAW TAKES EFFECT IN 1997 IT CANNOT BE CHANGED. IF IT NEEDS CHANGING AFTER 1997, THAT IS CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR. MR. GOODLAD'S COMMENTS WERE IRRESPONSIBLE AND NOT/NOT CONSTRUCTIVE.
3. THE WRITER ARGUES THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S WARM RECEPTION FOR MARTIN LEE IN LONDON, REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY HKG OFFICIALS TO MAKE CHINA INDICATE ITS SUPPORT FOR FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS ON THE NEW AIRPORT, AND MR. GOODLAD'S COMMENTS ON THE BASIC LAW WERE MATTERS OF "FARCE' IT WAS NOT ALL COINCIDENCE THAT ALL THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE GOVERNORSHIP OF HONG KONG.
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4. THE WRITER LINKS THESE DEVELOPMENTS WITH AN ARTICLE IN A RECENT EDITION OF THE ECONOMIST WHICH SUGGESTED THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR SHOULD NOT/NOT WASTE EFFORTS ON FORCING CHINA TO ACCEPT A LARGER ELECTED ELEMENT IN THE 1995 LEGCO., BUT THAT MARTIN LEE AND THOSE NOT/NOT TRUSTED BY CHINA SHOULD QUIETLY BE PUT INTO EXCO. BRITAIN'S MOTIVE IN STIRRING UP THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN LEGCO WAS A VEILED ATTEMPT TO 7 GUARANTEE LONG TERM ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL BENEFITS FOR BRITAIN BY GETTING THOSE WHO WISHED TO CONFRONT CHINA ON TO EXCO. BUT SUCH MOVES WOULD AFFECT HONG KONG'S SMOOTH TRANSITION.
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