TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 87

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2861

OF 19095OZ DECEMBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

YOUR TELNO 2005: HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED : VISIT OF

MR JI PENGFEK.

1. THE BACKGROUND IS AS FOLLOWS:

(A) DURING THE DISCUSSION WITH NCNA ON THE OFFICIAL PART OF THE

PROGRAMME, WE PUT TO THEM INFORMALLY THE POSSIBILITY OF JI VISITING

EITHER A LEGCO SITTING OR A DISTRICT BOARD MEETING. THE REPLY WAS A

GENTLE NEGATIVE, ACCOMPANIED BY EXPRESSIONS OF APPRECIATION FROM

NCNA FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH WE HAD TACKLED THE ISSUE.

(B) THERE WAS NEVERTHELESS PROMINENT UMELCO INVOLVEMENT IN THE VISIT.

THE TWO SENIOR UNOFFICIALS WERE AT THE AIRPORT TO MEET MR JI. UNO-

FFICIALS WERE INCLUDED IN MY DINNER FOR JF AND OTHER OFFICIALLY

HOSTED MEALS. PRESSURE OF SPACE, AND THE DESIRE TO INVOLVE A BROAD CROSS-SECTION, MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO INCLUDE THEM ALL. UNOFFICIALS

HAVE ALSO BEEN INVITED TO THE MORE SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL FUNCTIONS

DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE VISIT.

(C) FOUR INDIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO UNOFFICIALS WHO WERE

UPSET AT NOT HAVING A CHANCE TO MEET MR JI, SUGGESTED AT A

UMELCO MEETING THAT UMELCO SHOULD APRANGE MEETINGS WITH OR HOST A

FUNCTION FOR MR JI DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE VISIT. SIR S Y

CHUNGE, AFTER CONSULTING THE GOVERNOR AGREED TO PUT THE IDEA TO SIR Y K PAO, WHO UNDERTOOK TO APPRAOCH JI PENGFE. THE RESPONSE WAS THAT JI WOULD ATTEND A FUNCTION ORGANIZED BY SIR S Y CHUNG

AND MISS DUNN IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES, BUT NOT IF IT WERE

IN THE NAME OF UMELCO. UMELCO MEMBERS THEN AGREED TO DROP THE

IDEA, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISPOSITION ON THE PART OF THE 4 PRIME MOVERS TO BLAME THE GOVERNMENT FOR NOT PUSHING UMELCO'S

CAUSE HARD ENOUGH, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO GATHER

CONFIDENTIAL

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