TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 26

Confidential

4. FINALLY, I THINK THAT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER ZHOU NAN SHOULD BE INVITED TO VISIT HONG KONG IS NOT REALLY RELEVANT TO THIS PARTICULAR

ISSUE. AS I EXPLAINED TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE WE HAVE NO OBJECTION

IN PRINCIPLE TO ZHOU COMING HERE, BUT IF HE WERE TO COME ON A

SUBSTANTIVE VISIT HE WOULD BE BESIEGED BY THE PRESS ON A NUMBER

OF SENSITIVE ISSUES INCLUDING THE CHINESE ATTITUDE ON DIRECT ELECTIONS. UNHELPFUL PUBLIC PRONOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THE CHINESE

POSITION COULD SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLICATE AN ALREADY DIFFICULT TASK.

I NATURALLY EXPECT TO SEE ZHOU DURING MY VISITS TO PEKING, BUT I NEED TO SEE ALSO JI PENGFEI, LI HOU AND LU PING. THE EVIDENCE OF MY

SEPTEMBER VISIT AND WILSON'S MEETINGS EARLY THIS MONTH SHOWS CLEARLY THAT IT IS THEY RATHER THAN ZHOU WHO ARE PREPARED TO TALK

IN DETAIL ABOUT ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE RELATED TO THE DRAFTING OF THE

BASIC LAW.

YOUDE

YYYY

HMLNAN 4118

LIMITED

но/нко

MR GILLMORE

MR WILSON

*

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Confidential