TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 164

269

Fory,

GRS 650

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 14113OZ FCO

TELNO 2505

OF 14105OZ NOVEMBER 85

SECRET

INFO DESKBY 150100Z PEKING

263

HKK OU

AMENDED DISTRIBUTION RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

[15-11-85]

1 9-NOV 1985

YOUR TELNO 1778 : JOINT LIAISON GROUP : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

IN HONG KONG

1. I HAVE CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING OF EXCO FOR TOMORROW MORNING

AND WILL REPORT THE OUTCOME DESKBY 15100OZ AS REQUESTED.

2. MEMBERS WILL BE GRATIFIED BY MINISTERS' ACCEPTANCE OF THE BASIC

PREMISE THAT WE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THE CHINESE PROPOSAL THAT ''A

STUDY BE MADE OF THE ISSUES CALLING FOR CONSULTATION AND SOLUTION BY BOTH SIDES ON THIS BASIS'', AND THAT WE SHOULD MERELY EXPRESS WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING THE CHINESE HAVE TO SAY ON THIS SUBJECT (PARA 6 OF YOUR TUR). HOWEVER, I THINK THEY WOULD WELCOME

SOME MORE SPECIFIC INDICATIONS OF HOW IT IS ENVISAGED THAT THIS

OBJECTIVE WOULD BE ACHIEVED IN THE FORMAL SETTING OF THE JLG:

AND HOW THE DANGERS INVOLVED IN ALLOWING THE CHINESE PROPOSAL TO

BE PUT ON THE AGENDA CAN BE AVOIDED.

3. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS WHICH THE COUNCIL MAY RAISE:

(A) IN PARTICULAR IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM TO KNOW HOW THE

AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE FORMULATED. IF IT IS BASED ON THE CHINESE

PAPER IT WILL DEAL WITH A PROPOSAL FOR CONSULTATIONS, NOT AN

EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION:

(B) AT WHAT STAGE THE BRITISH SIDE WILL BE SEEKING PARALLEL INFORMATION FROM THE CHINESE ON THEIR PLANS FOR THE BASIC LAW.

4. WHATEVER THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS THERE ARE DANGERS IN THE COURSE YOU PROPOSE. TO AGREE TO PUT THE SUBJECT ON THE JLG AGENDA AND THEN REBUFF THE CHINESE MAIN PROPOSAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE CONSULTATION WILL TRANSLATE AN ARGUMENT WHICH WOULD BE BETTER CONDUCTED, AT LEAST IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, INFORMALLY OUTSIDE THE JLG TO A FORMAL ROW WITHIN IT. WE OUGHT SURELY TO THINK TWICE BEFORE EMBARKING ON SUCH A COURSE. WE KNOW IN ANY CASE THAT IT WILL

BE DIFFICULT TO GET THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT THAT THEIR PLANS FOR

THE BASIC LAW SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN THE JLG AND THIS WOULD PROVIDE

FURTHER SCOPE FOR CONTROVERSY, THE COURSE PROPOSED BY EXCO COULD

ACUC

TAGE 19/11

SECRET

I BE