TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 70

GRS 400

SECRET

DESKBY 161200Z FCO

FM HONG KONG 16100OZ FEB 84

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

SECRET

HK oli

VEGE VĒL VINEGISTRY 16FEB 1984

INDEX

TELEGRAM NUMBER 422 OF 16 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

1100

MY TELNO 361: FUTURE OF HONG KONG : LEGCO DEBATE

REGISTRY

* Taker

CHAR

1. THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER TOLD ME TODAY THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO WOULD NOT BE CONTENT WITH AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON MARCH 14. THEY ARE STRONGLY WEDDED TO HAVING AMOTION. THIS WOULD BE INTORDUCED BY THREE OR FOUR SPEAKERS AND THE DEBATE COULD THEN BE ADJOURNED TO BE RESUMED AT A LATER DATE. THIS WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT NO OFFICIAL REPLY WOULD BE CALLED FOR UNTIL THE RESUMPTION NOR WOULD THERE BE ANY VOTE AT THE MARCH 14 MEETING,

2. THE MOTION WHICH THEY WISHED TO PUT DOWN WAS IN TERMS WHICH DECLARED THAT THE COUNCIL DEEMED IT ESSENTIAL THAT ANY

AGREEMENT REACHED MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG** I TOLD HIM THAT SUCH A MOTION WOULD CAUSE GREAT DIFFICULTY TO THE OFFICIAL SIDE. IT MIGHT LOOK UNOBJECTIONABLE IN PRINCIPLE BUT THE DECLARED OBJECTIVE WAS TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE TO THREE PARTIES (CHINA, THE UK PARLIAMENT AND HONG KONG). IT WOULD NOT BE REALISTIC FOR THE MOTION TO SINGLE OUT ONLY ONE OF THOSE PARTIES.

3. SECONDLY I TOLD HIM THAT IF SUCH A MOTION WAS DEBATED AND THERE WERE A VOTE IN FAVOUR, IT WOULD BE BOUND TO LEAD TO A REACTION FROM PEKING, WHO WERE VERY SENSITIVE ON THE POINT, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE HLPFUL TO THE NEGOTIATORS, FOR THESE REASONS IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT IT AND ON THE OTHER HAND ABSTENTION WOULD LEAD TO A DAMAGING SPLIT BETWEEN OFFICIALS AND

UNOFFICIALS.

4. AS A FALL BACK, THE SENIOR UNOFFICAL PRODUCED A TEXT WHICH READ:

THIS COUNCIL DEEMS IT ESSENTIAL THAT ANY PROPOSAL FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE DEBATED IN THIS COUNCIL BEFORE ANY FINAL

AGREEMENT IS REACHED,''

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