TNAG-1439-FCO40-1923-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 17

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 27090OZ FCO

TELNO 941

OF 27044OZ MARCH 86

INFO DESKBY 27080OZ PEKING

SECRET

(80)

& Ac

YOUR TELMO 247 : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, THE BASIC LAW AND THE 1987 REVIEW: PROPOSED MEETING BETWEEN SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU

XUEQUAN

1. IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAST PRACTICE W WILL NEED TO TELL EXCO FORMALLY BEFORE THE MESSAGE IS DESPATCHED AND WILL DO SO AT

THE MEETING ON TUESDAY 1 APRIL.

2. THEY MAY QUESTION THE INCLUSION OF THE WORD 'CONVERGENCE** GIVEN THE CONTROVERSY WHICH THIS HAS AROUSED HERE AND ASK WHY

SOME OTHER FORMULATION CANNOT BE USED.

3. # HAVE MYSELF SOME DOUBT ABOUT THE WISDOM OF INCLUDING THE LAST SENTENCE IN FTS PRESENT FORM. IT COULD BE READ AS TOO SPECIFIC A PROPOSAL FOR AN EXCHANGE OF WHEWS ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AGAINST THEIRS ON THE BASIC LAW AND THUS, GIVEN THE SENSITIVITY ON THE BASIC LAW, FRIGHTEN THE CHINESE OFF BEFORE

THE DIALOGUE HAS EVEN BEGUN.

4. # WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR WU TO REFUSE AN OFFER COMING PERSONALLY FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO TAKE STOCK OF PROGRESS AND TO CONSIDER AREAS WHERE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN

US WILL BE NEEDED IN FUTURE'': AND THUS THE LAST SENTENCE IS NOT

STRICTLY NECESSARY.

5. AGREE THAT THE MESSAGE SHOULD CONTAIN THE SPECIFIC SUGGESTION

THAT A MEETING SHOULD TAKE PLACE DURING WU'S VISIT TO EUROPE.

6. THEREFORE SUGGEST THAT THE MESSAGE MIGHT BE ON THE FOLLOWING

LINES:

*** WAS INTERESTED TO HEAR THAT YOU WILL BE VISITING EUROPE IN MAY.

** BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MOST USEFUL IF YOU AND I COULD TAKE

ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REWIEW THE DEVELOPMENTS ON HONG KONG THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE OUR MEETING IN LONDON LAST YEAR

AND CONSIDER AREAS WHERE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN US WILL BE NEEDED

OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. # WONDER IF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO WISIET

ME AT CHEVENING ON 10 MAY, OR IF THIS IS NOT CONVENMENT, PERHAPS

WE COULD MEET IN BRUSSELS ON 23 MAY.**

YOUDE

LIMITED.

HKD

FED.

PS.

ps/mr.RENTON

SIR.W. HARDING. Mr. WiLSON

SECRET

HKR ON|t

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

DL

- 4 APR 1986

TRY

Faken

PA

AJB4

la