TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 25

GRS 400

عما

CONFIDENTIAL

TCP OUP T

356

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELNO 1194

OF 2804OOZ NOVEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO WASHINGTON,

INFO PRIORITY HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA, FCO.

HKG/GT/112. FUTURE OF HONG KONG : REMARKS BY MR XU JIATUN.

BACKGROUND.

THERE HAS BEEN PROMINENT AND WIDESPREAD COVERAGE IN THE HONG

KONG AND BRITISH PRESS AND IN AGENCY REPORTS OF REMARKS MADE BY MR XU JIATUN, DIRECTOR OF NCNA HONG KONG, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HE GAVE IN HONG KONG ON 21 NOVEMBER. MUCH OF THE CONFERENCE WAS DEVOTED TO DISCUSSION OF CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS, PARTICULARLY ON A RECENT ARTICLE ABOUT CLASS STRUGGLE IN THE PARTY MAGAZINE ''RED FLAG''. MR XU MADE A NUMBER OF POINTS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CURRENT REFORMS TO THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROCESS. THE POINTS

WHICH RECEIVED MOST ATTENTION WERE :

(A) THERE SHOULD NOT BE 12 YEARS OF GREAT CHANGES FOLLOWED BY 50

YEARS OF NO CHANGE.

(B) IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE FOR THE CURRENT PROCESS OF REFORM TO BE

COMPATIBLE WITH THE BASIC LAW.

(C) IN CERTAIN RESPECTS THERE WAS ALREADY A TENDENCY TO DEVIATE

FROM THE PRINCIPLES OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THIS WOULD NOT BE

IGNORED (XU DECLINED TO ELABORATE).

(D) THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD NO OPLIGATIONS TOWARDS THE MOVES

TOWARDS REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED BY THE BRITISH SIDE.

12.

CONFIDENTIAL

RCFIVED

HRR OU!!

-

- 4 DEC 1985

NREGISTRY