TNAG-2277-FCO40-3276-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 11

CONFIDENTIAL

T6e

174700

MDHIAN 2292

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO DESKBY 16043OZ UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TELNO 6

OF 160332Z NOVEMBER 91

AND TO IMMEDIATE F C O HONG KONG

رحما

(164

YOUR TELNOS 545 AND 546.

TOP CORE

низ

zoili

Q DIST ?

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST EDITORIAL ON JLG.

الر

وم

1. I HAVE SEEN THE EDITORIAL IN QUESTION AND AGREE THAT IT MERITS

A RESPONSE. I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE TEXT IN SECOND TUR. BUT WE SHOULD BE UNDER NO ILLUSIONS THAT A REPLY ON THESE LINES WILL SATISFY THE CRITICS. THE TEXT CONFINES ITSELF, I AM SURE DELIBERATELY, TO THE NARROW POINT THAT THE JLG SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES ACT ON INSTRUCTIONS AND DO NOT DECIDE THINGS THEMSELVES: AND THAT IN THE CASE OF THE BRITISH SIDE THE HKG IS FULLY CONSULTED. IT DOES NOT DEAL WITH THE EDITORIAL'S UNDERLYING THEME: THE OLD CHARGE THAT THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ARE TAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG OVER THE HEADS OF LEGCO AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE.

2.

IT IS A MATTER FOR JUDGEMENT IN HONG KONG AND LONDON WHETHER

IT IS WORTH GETTING ON TO THIS DIFFICULT GROUND. BUT A SENTENCE OR TWO COULD PERHAPS BE ADDED TO POINT OUT THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL FALLS SQUARELY WITHIN THE JLG'S TERMS OF REFERENCE (QUOTED IN THE EDITORIAL): THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE A LEGITIMATE INTEREST: THE AGREEMENT REACHED MAY NOT BE IDEAL BUT WE BELIEVE THAT IT PROVIDES A GOOD BASIS FOR THE CFA'S EARLY ESTABLISHMENT: AND THAT THE QUESTION PEOPLE HAVE TO FACE IS WHETHER IT IS BETTER TO SET UP THE COURT SOON IN THE NEAR FUTURE ON THE AGREED BASIS OR RISK DELAYING ITS ESTABLISHMENT UNTIL AFTER 1997.

MCLAREN

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL