CONFIDENTIAL
024551
MDHOAN 0490
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1102
OF 11170OZ JUNE 90
HKD241
nCCEP
12 JUN 1990
Correction set
ра
by
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
198)
(142)
143)
Pou 12/6
LEGÜ
MY TELNO 1061 PEKING TELNO 815 AND YOUR TELNO 1758: BILL OF RIGHTS: THE CHINESE
WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THESE HELPFUL COMMENTS. IN THE LIGHT OF THE CLACK OF) PRESS REACTION IN HONG KONG TO THE ECONOMIC TIMES REPORT (PARA 1 OF YOUR TUR) WE AGREE THERE IS NO NEED PUBLICLY TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. IF ASKED, WE SHOULD DRAW
XV.
ON THE LINE GALSWORTHY TOOK AFTER JLG
2. ON PRESSING THE CHINESE FOR THEIR VIEWS ON THE BILL, WE ENVISAGE THE EMBASSY TAKING ACTION IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT WEEK. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD PRODUCE THE FIRST DRAFT FOR SPEAKING NOTE ALONG THE LINES OF PARAGRAPHS 5 OF MY TUR, SUPPLEMENTING THE 3RD TIRET AS APPROPRIATE. WE ARE CONTENT TO OMIT THE REFERENCE TO RECENT PRESS REPORTS AND LEAVE IT TO PEKING'S DISCRETION WHETHER THEY MENTION THIS INFORMALLY DURING
THEIR CALL.
3. WE ARE ATTRACTED BY YOUR IDEA OF BRIEFING GUO FENGMIN INFORMALLY ON LIKELY AREAS OF CHANGE, GIVEN THE TIGHT TIMETABLE.
WE SUGGEST THAT YOU ADD A POINT TO THIS EFFECT TO PEKING'S
SPEAKING NOTE.
4.
IN ADDITION TO THIS, WE THINK WE SHOULD STILL AIM TO LET THE CHINESE HAVE AN ADVANCE COPY OF THE BILL BEFORE SUBMISSION TO EXCO, WHICH WOULD BE HANDED OVER BOTH IN PEKING AND HONG KONG. WE AGREE THAT WE SHOULD ALSO BRIEF THE CHINESE ON CONSEQUENTIAL CHANGES TO HONG KONG LEGISLATION. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS AS SOON AS THESE ARE PREPARED.
5. ALL OF THE ABOVE MAY BE FRUITLESS IF THE POLITICAL
OPPOSITION TO THE BILL IN PEKING HOLDS SWAY. BUT IT CAN ONLY BE IN OUR INTEREST TO WEAKEN THE CHINESE GROUNDS FOR BEING UNCOOPERATIVE.
HURD
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