TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 236

CONFIDENTIAL

5.

further research on what undertakings had been given to the Chinese on consultation over electoral issues and the through- train (I will ask Research Department to follow-up on the basis of some work already done by HKG. The Secretary of State has asked to see the precise commitments we have given); - HKG's preferred outcome on the specific electoral issues (I talked in more detail about these to Mr Michael Sze: separate note).

The Governor also asked that thought should be given to the handling of this package of issues:

(i)

in the LegCo speech (Mr Ehrman will take the lead in drafting this section of the speech);

(ii) in terms of the Chinese, ie how much information to give them beforehand, and how the discussions should be pursued with them after the speech, starting with the Governor's Peking visit in mid-October;

He

(iii) preparing the ground politically in Hong Kong. commissioned a critical path covering the timing of the political steps that would be needed both before and after the speech.

6.

Mr Hum and I agreed separately with the Governor that he had no objection to HKG letting us have informally early drafts of their papers on these issues, so that we could feed in views and keep abreast of their thinking as it developed.

7.

The Governor also discussed at his meeting what he should say to Ambassador Ma when the latter visits Hong Kong next week. There was general agreement with the Governor's proposition that he should give Ma some carefully considered messages, both because Ma appeared to be capable of understanding points made to him and relaying them accurately; and because this would serve to build up Ma himself as a useful interlocutér, as well as underlining the point that at present there is no Chinese representative in Hong Kong with whom the Governor can usefully deal.

8.

HKG will let us have a full note of what the Governor proposes to say to Ma. But in summary he will cover the following ground:

- As he had made clear to Ma in London, he would adopt an open and calm approach to issues. His approach to the airport problem had illustrated this. As he had told Ma, he could not trade political assurances for Chinese agreement on the airport.

The Governor wanted a credible interlocutêr in Hong Kong.

CONFIDENTIAL