TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 178

SECRET

1601

MDHIAN 68

IN TURS ANY FURTHER DETAIL WOULD TEND TO REDUCE THE CLARITY OF MESSAGES ALREADY GIVEN AND DILUTE THE IMPACT OF THE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING IN NEW YORK AND THE GOVERNOR'S TALKS WITH LU

MOREOVER, AS SOON AS WE GIVE THE CHINESE ANY DETAILS OF THE GOVERNOR'S PLANS THEY WILL SEEK TO PUSH US INTO CONSULTATION MODE. WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO DISCUSS THE AGENDA FOR THE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING WITH THE CHINESE BUT WE DO NOT BELIEVE WE SHOULD COVER THE GOVERNOR'S PLANS IN MORE THAN VERY BROAD TERMS.

4. THE AMBASSADOR IS DUE TO ARRIVE BACK HERE ON SUNDAY 13 SEPTEMBER. HE WOULD IN ANY CASE HAVE WISHED TO RENEW CONTACT WITH LU PING ON RETURN (INCIDENTALLY, HE DOES NOT USUALLY HAVE DIFFICULTY GAINING ACCESS TO LU PING WHEN THE LATTER IS IN PEKING). A CALL BY SIR R MCLAREN, FRESH FROM HIS MEETINGS WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND THE PRIME MINISTER, WOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF REINFORCING THE LINE TAKEN BY THE GOVERNOR WITH ZHOU NAN ON 20 AUGUST (HONG KONG TELNO 2169). BUT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SAY ANYTHING NEW FOR THE REASONS SET OUT IN THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH. IF THE AMBASSADOR WERE TO MEET LU PING BEFORE THE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING HE WOULD NO DOUBT BE UNDER CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE FROM LU TO REVEAL OUR CURRENT THINKING. IF HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DISCUSS SUBSTANCE THEN LU MIGHT FEEL OBLIGED TO DELIVER A STRONG WARNING AGAINST UNILATERAL ACTION ETC. WE WOULD THEN BE IN THE POSITION OF HAVING DELIBERATELY TO IGNORE A WARNING FROM LU, PARTICULARLY IN RESPECT OF THOSE PARTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S LEGCO ADDRESS WHICH COVER THE BASIS ON WHICH THE GOVERNOR WILL BE INTENDING TO SEEK AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE AT SOME POINT AFTER ADDRESSING LEGCO. FOR THIS REASON WE ARE NOT CERTAIN THAT A CALL BY AMBASSADOR ON LU PING BEFORE THE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING WOULD BE HELPFUL. IF MIGHT BE MORE USEFUL TO CONSIDER A CALL AFTER THE FOREIGN MINISTERS' MEETING BUT BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S VISIT. THE AMBASSADOR WOULD THEN BE IN A POSITION TO SEEK A PRELIMINARY RESPONSE TO THE LEGCO ADDRESS IN PREPARATION FOR THE GOVERNOR'S TALKS WITH LU PING.

MCLEAN

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