TNAG-2267-FCO40-3264-Labour-Party-policy-on-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 7

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3. MR. GEORGE FOULKES, THE LABOUR PARTY FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN ON HONG KONG, VISITED THE TERRITORY FROM 13-16 SEPTEMBER, PRIMARILY TO OBSERVE THE FIRST DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I GAVE HIM DINNER ON 14 SEPTEMBER.

4.

PRIOR TO THE ELECTIONS, MR. FOULKES SAID THAT THERE WAS A NEED TO STEP UP THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION IN HONG KONG AND THAT BRITAIN HAD A DUTY TO PROVIDE DEMOCRACY FOR THE HONG KONG PEOPLE. DEMOCRACY WOULD BECOME A GLOBAL TREND IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR PEKING TO DESTROY A DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IN HONG KONG IF IT WAS IN PLACE IN 1997.

5. AFTER TOURING SOME POLLING STATIONS ON ELECTION DAY, MR FOULKES SAID TO THE PRESS THAT HE WAS IMPRESSED BY THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REGISTRATION AND ELECTORAL OFFICE AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ELECTION TEAMS. THE PROCESS WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT IN THE UK. SUNDAY WAS A GOOD DAY TO HOLD ELECTIONS. MR. FOULKES DISMISSED COMMENTS THAT THE TURN-OUT RATE WAS DISAPPOINTING AND SAID THE RESULTS WERE A CLEAR EXPRESSION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE'S DEMAND FOR MORE DEMOCRACY. THE FACTORS WHICH HAD AFFECTED THE TURN-OUT WERE THAT THE POLITICAL PARTIES IN HONG KONG WERE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED AND THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS WAS LIMITED. HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ELECTED SEATS AFTER THIS ELECTION.

6. IT WAS APPARENT THAT MR. FOULKES WAS IMPRESSED BY THE ORGANISATION OF THE ELECTION. HE SAID PRIVATELY THAT TIMING AND LEGCO'S VIEWS WOULD BE THE KEY FACTORS FOR DETERMINING A LABOUR GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TO APPROACHING CHINA FOR MORE DEMOCRACY. HE ADMITTED THAT IT WAS DOUBTFUL IF MARTIN LEE COULD OBTAIN A CONSENSUS FOR 100 PER CENT DIRECT ELECTIONS. HE ALSO SAID HE HAD TOLD MARTIN LEE THAT IT WAS UNWISE FOR HIM TO MEDDLE IN CHINESE POLITICS. ON HONG KONG IN GENERAL, HE FOUND THE MOOD TRANSFORMED FOR THE BETTER FROM TWO YEARS AGO. ON MFN, HE WONDERED WHETHER THE US SHOULD NOT/NOT MAKE RENEWAL CONDITIONAL ON UPHOLDING THE JD, BUT WAS OPEN TO THE ARGUMENT THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO DOUBLE PUNISHMENT FOR HONG KONG.

7.

I CAUTIONED MR. FOULKES ABOUT THE WISDOM OF REPEATING EARLIER PUBLIC STATEMENTS THAT A LOCAL CHINESE SHOULD BE APPOINTED GOVERNOR. I DOUBTED IF THIS WOULD BE WELCOMED BY MANY IN HONG KONG SINCE THE MESSAGE WOULD BE THAT HMG WAS ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY: THE CHINESE WOULD OBJECT STRONGLY: AND SELECTING A SUITABLE PERSON WITHOUT ANTAGONISING EVERY OTHER

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