90
CONFIDENTIAL
001560
MDHIAN 1587
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 11090OZ FCO
TELNO 1056
OF 110745Z MARCH 88
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
FROM MCLAREN
89
HKB 040/2
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
HONG KONG TELNO 1033: CONSOLIDATED FUND DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF
COMMONS
1
·
KE ZAISHUO HAD A BRIEF WORD WITH ME DURING A BREAK IN THIS
MORNING'S JLG SESSION. HE SAID THAT MADAM ZHANG YOUYUN HAD REPORTED
WHAT HUM HAD TOLD HER ABOUT THE DEBATE STIMULATED BY MR MAREK. HE
QUITE UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS A VERY MINOR EVENT BUT HE DID WANT
TO DRAW MY ATTENTION TO THE NATIONAL SENSITIVITIES INVOLVED IN CHINA.
THE BASIC LAW WAS AN INTERNAL CHINESE MATTER AND PEOPLE ON THE MAINLAND WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND IF FOREIGN PARLIAMENTS
STARTED DEBATING IT. HE HOPED WE WOULD WORK ON THE MPS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THE SENSITIVITIES, AND WOULD HAVE REGARD FOR THEM IN WHAT WE OURSELVES SAID.
2. I SAID THAT AS KE KNEW WE COULD NOT TELL MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
WHAT THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT DISCUSS (HE NODDED IN AGREEMENT).
BUT HE WOULD NOTICE THAT SPOKESMEN FOR THE GOVERNMENT WERE ALWAYS
CAREFUL TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW WAS A
MATTER FOR CHINA IN ANYTHING THEY SAID ON THE SUBJECT.
COMMENT
3
KE RAISED THE QUESTION IN A MILD AND UNCONTROVERSIAL MANNER AND
I HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT HE MIGHT NOT HAVE DONE SO AT ALL IF WE HAD
NOT BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. THIS SUGGEST THAT THE CHINESE
MAY HAVE TAKEN ON BOARD THE POINT THAT OVER REACTION WOULD BE
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. THEY MIGHT NONETHELESS FEEL OBLIGED TO SAY
SOMETHING MORE FORMAL IF THERE ARE CALLS FOR A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
SPECIFICALLY ON THE SUBJECT OF THE BASIC LAW.
FORD
YYYY
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