TNAG-1602-FCO40-2198-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1987 — Page 13

GRS 370

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 28110OZ FCO

TELNO 1633

OF 280955Z APRIL 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

211

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HUB 011/3

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2 & APR 1987

PEKING TELNO 715 : BASIC LAW : MEETING OF LEGAL EXPERTS

IN LIGHT OF THE CHINESE RESPONSE RECORDED IN TUR, WE THINK THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS :

(A) FOR FIFOOT TO COME TO HONG KONG ON 30 APRIL TO 7 MAY, AS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED, FOR A FIRST ROUND OF DISCUSSION ON BASIC LAW LEGAL ISSUES (AND OTHER MATTERS), AND TO COME TO HONG KONG AGAIN TOWARDS THE END OF MAY FOR PREPARATORY TALKS BEFORE GOING ON TO PEKING FOR THE LEGAL EXPERTS MEETING IN EARLY JUNE: AND

(B) FOR FIFOOT TO COME TO HONG KONG IN LATE MAY BEFORE GOING ON TO PEKING IN EARLY JUNE.

WE WOULD MARGINALLY PREFER (A), BECAUSE IT WOULD GIVE US MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DISCUSS WITH FIFOOT FACE TO FACE, BUT WE WOULD UNDERSTAND IF FIFOOT WERE TO PREFER TRAVELLING ON ONE OCCASION ONLY, 1.E. OPTION (B). IN EITHER CASE, THERE WOULD BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FIFOOT AND OTHERS TO EXCHANGE IDEAS WITH DONALD TSANG IN LONDON FOR THE PERIOD 19 29 MAY (OUT TELNO 1608 REFERS).

2. WE DID CONSIDER ASKING THE CHINESE TO ADVANCE THE LEGAL EXPERTS MEETING TO A DATE FOLLOWING CLOSELY FIFOOT'S PROPOSED VISIT

ON 30 APRIL TO 7 MAY, BUT HAVE DISCARDED THIS OPTION: WE THINK THE CHINESE ARE UNLIKELY TO AGREE, AND THIS WOULD ALSO GIVE US MUCH LESS TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS IMPORTANT MEETING AND BRIEF EXCO ETC.

3.

GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW YOUR DECISION DESKBY 290100Z

SO THAT WE CAN, IF NECESSARY, CANCEL ARRANGEMENTS ALREADY MADE FOR FIFOOT'S VISIT ON 30 APRIL (SEE OUR TELNOS 1623-1625, NOT TO PEKING).

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