CONFIDENTIAL
par. Legco rou
005322 MDHIAN 2745
TOP COPY WAS OR DIST? Q
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELNO 1963
OF 200348Z NOVEMBER 91
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
кр
HONG KONG TELNO 3630: JLG AND LEGCO RELATIONSHIP
1. OUR CONCERN IS TO ENSURE THAT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE THE ARRANGEMENTS ADOPTED TO HANDLE THE JLG/LEGCO RELATIONSHIP ARE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF ALIENATING THE CHINESE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHINESE TROUBLEMAKING.
2. AS SEEN FROM HERE THE PLAN IN TUR IS SENSIBLE. IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO SATISFY THE CHINESE. WHATEVER WE DO TO BRING LEGCO INTO A MORE HARMONIOUS AND SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIP TO THE JLG THE CHINESE WILL BE WORRIED. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE NEED TO ACCEPT THE 'POLITICAL REALITIES' AS SEEN FROM HONG KONG (PARA 12 OF TUR) EVEN IF THEY CAN BE BROUGHT TO UNDERSTAND THEM. THEIR OWN 'POLITICAL REALITIES ARE OF COURSE QUITE DIFFERENT.
3.
PARA 9 OF TUR. IT IS FOR HONG KONG TO JUDGE WHETHER THE COURSE OF ACTION RECOMMENDED MIGHT BE OPEN TO CHARGES OF FAVOURITISM. THE CHINESE WILL BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR AN EXCUSE TO PICK AND CHOOSE THOSE MEMBERS OF LEGCO WITH WHOM THEY WILL CONTEMPLATE EVEN INFORMAL CONTACT.
4. PARA 10 OF TUR. WE DOUBT WHETHER LEGCO MEMBERS WILL BE SWAYED VERY MUCH BY THE REALITY OF THEIR INEVITABLY LIMITED ROLE IN THE JLG PROCESS. IN EFFECT THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO UNDERSTAND AND ENDORSE DEVISIONS MADE BY OTHERS, ALBEIT AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH THE HKG WHICH THEY WOULD HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE IN MOST CASES. THEY WOULD BE LITTLE POINT IN TRYING TO PERSUADE THEM OTHERWISE.
MCLAREN
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