TNAG-2446-FCO40-3562-Political-parties-in-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 113

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INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA

HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP (8-14 JANUARY)

SUMMARY

THE ACTIVITIES IN HK OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, LU PING WERE WIDELY COVERED.

LU PING

2. LU PING WAS QUOTED AS SAYING TO NEWSMEN (8.1) THAT HE HAD HAD FRIENDLY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR ON VARIOUS ISSUES, INCLUDING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSITION. HE POINTED OUT HIS VISIT HAD NOT BEEN AFFECTED BY THE NEWS THAT THERE WOULD BE A CHANGE OF GOVERNOR. HE SAID IT WAS THE COMMON WISH OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH TRANSFER. AT A DINNER RECEPTION, MR LU SAID (9.1) THAT THE B.L. LAID A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR HK IN 1997 AND BEYOND AND THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. LEADERS OF PRO-CHINA GROUPS WHO MET MR LU NOTED THAT HE WAS WORRIED THAT A LEGCO COMMITTEE SYSTEM WOULD RESULT IN CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND AFFECT THE CONVERGENCE OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS AFTER 1997. REPORTS NOTED THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN LU PING WITH A LIBERAL GROUP, THE ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD. ITS CHAIRMAN, FREDERICK FUNG, QUOTED MR LU AS SAYING (10.1) THAT SINO-HK CONTACTS HAD BEEN INADEQUATE AND THAT WAYS SHOULD BE FOUND TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. MR LU INDICATED THAT A QUICKER PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION IN HK BEFORE 1997 WAS UNLIKELY SINCE THE B.L. HAD BEEN FINALISED.

3. THE MEDIA REPORTED (11.1) THAT LU PING SAID HE HAD TO BE SELECTIVE WHEN MEETING LOCAL POLITICAL GROUPS AND HE WOULD NOT MEET THOSE WHO WANTED TO OVERTHROW THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HE SAID CHINA WAS NOT AGAINST UNITED DEMOCRATS AS A WHOLE AND HAD ALREADY CONTACTED MODERATES IN THE PARTY AND WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO IN FUTURE. RESPONDING TO MR LU'S REMARKS, UNITED DEMOCRAT

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