TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 67

HRB 027/3

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2135

OF 03070OZ JUNE 88

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

199

076237

MDHIAN 1786

SUMMARY

1. S OF S 'S REMARKS ON BL AND JI PENGFEI'S VISIT TO HK PROMINENTLY REPORTED. BLCC SECRETARIAT CRITICISED AS INEFFICIENT. A GENERAL FEELING THAT THE BL HAS NOT ADEQUATELY PROVIDED FOR MAINTENANCE OF TWO SYSTEMS'' AFTER 1997. FORMATION OF FIRST SARG AND NATIONALITY EMERGED AS NEW AREAS OF CONCERN. GENERAL

PUBLIC REMAINED UNINTERESTED.

DETAIL

2. PROMINENT MEDIA COVERAGE WAS ACCORDED TO S OF S'S VISIT, WHICH WAS GENERALLY REGARDED AS A MISSION TO BOLSTER LOCAL CONFIDENCE BY AFFIRMING HMG'S CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO THE EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION OF HK DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD. REFERENCES TO THE DRAFT BL IN HIS LUNCHEON TALK ON 30 MAY AND THE PRESS CONFERENCE PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE WERE RECEIVED AS INDICATIONS OF THE IMPORTANCE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ATTACHED TO THE DRAFT BL. THE MEDIA (THE LEFT-WING PRESS INCLUDED) SHARED HIS VIEW THAT THERE WERE DIFFICULT AREAS STILL TO BE RESOLVED, SUCH AS THE FORMATION OF THE FIRST SARG. FOLLOWING S OF S'S REMARKS, WE ASSESS THAT LEGCO, DBS AND OTHER ADVISORY BOARDS WILL PROBABLY REQUEST HMG TO PASS RECORDS

OF THEIR DISCUSSIONS ON THE DRAFT BL TO THE CHINESE SIDE.

·

3. VISITS BY JI PENGFEI AND THE MAINLAND BLDC DRAFTERS GAVE FRESH

IMPETUS TO THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE RESPONSE TO INVITATIONS TO MEET THE MAINLAND DRAFTERS WAS SATISFACTORY AND A FULL PROGRAMME HAS BEEN DRAWN UP. IT WAS WIDELY REPORTED THAT TWO FULL DAYS HAD BEEN EARMARKED FOR MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF LEGCO, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND DB'S, WHO WOULD EXPRESS COMMENT OF THE DRAFT IN THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES. THE WAY THE MAINLAND DRAFTERS, INCLUDING JI WILL CONDUCT THEIR PUBLIC APPEARANCES DURING THE COMING FORTNIGHT WOULD DETERMINE WHETHER THE RENEWED PUBLIC INTERESTS IN THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE WOULD BE SUSTAINED IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS.

4. MEANWHILE THE CHINESE SIDE SEEMED TO BE SIGNALLING THAT THEY WERE PREPARED TO CHANGE SOME BL ARTICLES IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CRITICISM. HKEJ (28 MAY) REPORTED THAT TWO SESSIONS HAD BEEN

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