TNAG-2103-FCO40-2995-Future-of-Hong-Kong-exchanges-with-the-Chinese-on-the-Basic--1990 — Page 67

CONFIDENTIAL

HKC012/3.

RECEIVED

12 MAR 1990

DESK OFFIC

SY

CISTRY

FA

Action Taken

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 474

OF 01153OZ MARCH 90

TOP C Q DIST?

INDEX

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

017220

MDHOAN 4238

YOUR TELNO 740 AND PEKING TELNO 313: FURTHER ACTION: NPC RESOLUTION ON VALIDITY OF BASIC LAW

1.

WHILE WE HAVE NO OBJECTION TO RAISING THE POINT WITH THE CHINESE IN A LOW-KEY MANNER, IT IS ONE ON WHICH THE CHINESE HAVE, IN THE PAST, SHOWN SOME SENSITIVITY AND WE WOULD THINK IT NOT ALTOGETHER TACTFUL TO DESCRIBE IT AS AN 'OUTSTANDING ISSUE'. THEREFORE SUGGEST A SPEAKING NOTE ON THE FOLLOWING LINES.

WE

2. QUOTE A FURTHER MATTER ON WHICH WE WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR FURTHER THINKING RELATES TO THE QUESTION WHICH IS MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 7 OF OUR NOTES ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW HANDED TO FOREIGN M1NISTER QIAN QICHEN BY SIR ALAN DONALD ON 7 DECEMBER 1989, NAMELY THE QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN AIRED PUBLICLY OF THE CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE BL AND CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE CONSULTATION OF THE PRC.

3. WE ARE AWARE THAT VARIOUS SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE ENSURE THAT NO QUESTION WILL ARISE IN THE FUTURE AS TO THE VALIDITY OF THE BL AND WOULD BE GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF THE CHINESE SIDE COULD LET US KNOW WHAT THEIR INTENTIONS ARE AS REGARDS CLARIFYING THIS MATTER. UNQUOTE

HURD

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

60

ΜΑΙΝ

57

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.<RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

PUSD NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR GILLMORE

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CONFIDENTIAL