CONFIDENTIAL
0142.
1665
034215
MDHOAN 4523
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 09010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 3194
OF 081345Z DECEMBER 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TOP COPY
HUB 01/2
'
14 DEC 1987
MIPT: VISIT OF MARTIN LEE TO LONDON: CALL ON LORD GLENARTAUR
1.
2.
(A)
LEGISLATIVE
WOULD BE UNABLE TO
IF HE WOULD NOT
DELEGATION:
WE ARE TAKING THE FOLLOWING LINE WITH THE PRESS:
MR LEE TOLD LORD GLENARTHUR THAT THE
COUNSELLOR MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION
HAVE THEIR MEETING WITH THE MINISTER
ALSO RECEIVE THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
LORD GLENARTHUR EXPRESSED REGRET THAT MR LEE AND HIS TWO
FELLOW MEMBERS OF LEGCO WERE NOT PREPARED TO HAVE A
MEETING ON THE BASIS EXPLAINED TO THEM BEFORE THEY LEFT
HONG KONG. FOR HIS PART, HE WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO
SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS:
(B)
(C)
(D)
(E)
BEFORE LEAVING MR LEE HANDED OVER A LETTER ADDRESSED TO
THE PRIME MINISTER, WHICH LORD GLENARTHUR AGREED TO PASS ON:
MR LEE EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE WOULD SEE THEM DURING JANUARY, IE BEFORE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER.
LORD GLENARTHUR TOOK NOTE. HE POINTED OUT THAT IN
SPEAKING TO THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG THEY
WERE SPEAKING TO THE GOVERNMENT: THEIR VIEWS WOULD
NATURALLY BE REFLECTED THROUGH HIM TO THE SECRETARY OF
STATE AND THE PRIME MINISTER:
(F) (WHAT WAS THE BASIS FOR THE MEETING?)
HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GIVEN A VERY FULL OPPORTUNITY
TO COMMENT ON THE ISSUES RAISED IN THE CURRENT REVIEW OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR
MINISTERS TO RECEIVE EVERY GROUP THAT MIGHT HAVE FURTHER
REPRESENTATIONS TO MAKE. LORD GLENARTHUR WAS HOWEVER
WILLING TO SEE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNSELLOR MEMBERS OF THE
DELEGATION IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR SPECIAL POSITION IN
HONG KONG.
IN BACKGROUND BRIEFING, WE ARE, INTER ALIA, SEEKING TO COUNTER ALLEGATIONS BY THE DELEGATION THAT HMG/HKG ARE BREAKING PROMISES MADE IN 1984 TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988.
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