SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 10080OZ FCO
TELNO 2285
OF 10070OZ SEPTEMBER 92
SECRET
015245
MDHIAN 8395
FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR SECRETARY OF STATE.
FROM GOVERNOR.
HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
1.
CHRISTOPHER HUM HAS TOLD ME OF THE TWO POINTS YOU RAISED ABOUT THE HANDLING OF MY CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS.
2. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH AMENDING THE OPD (K) MINUTE TO SAY THAT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CHANGE MY PROPOSALS SUBSTANTIALLY ONCE I HAVE ANNOUNCED THEM. THAT REMAINS MY STRONG VIEW.
3.
YOUR NEW YORK MEETING WITH QIAN QICHEN, AND OUR USE OF IT AS THE MAIN CHANNEL FOR BRIEFING THE CHINESE ON WHAT I INTEND TO SAY, IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR STRATEGY. I THINK IT IS INEVITABLE THAT WE WILL HAVE A ROW WITH THE CHINESE OVER SOME OF MY PROPOSALS ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS. I WOULD PREFER TO RUN THE RISK THAT THEY WILL LEAK THESE AFTER YOUR MEETING IN NEW YORK (WHICH I COULD LIVE WITH) TO THE GREATER RISK THAT THEY WILL PUBLICLY REJECT THEM ALL IF THEY ONLY GET 24 HOURS NOTICE. LACK OF FOREWARNING WOULD MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THEM IN THAT THEY WOULD FIGHT THE BATTLE ON THE PRINCIPLES OF NOTICE AND CONSULTATION RATHER THEN SUBSTANCE. I THEREFORE THINK IT IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO GIVE THEM A SUBSTANTIVE ACCOUNT OF WHAT I INTEND TO SAY. IN THE INTERESTS OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH LU PING, I AM PLANNING TO SEND HIM A MESSAGE ON MUCH THE SAME LINES SHORTLY AFTER YOUR SESSION WITH QIAN. HONG KONG OPINION WILL UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO PREPARE THE GROUND IN ADVANCE WITH THE CHINESE, BUT WOULD NOT FORGIVE US IF WE GOT A KNEE-JERK REJECTION BECAUSE OF LACK OF FOREWARNING.
4. FOLLOWING OUR DISCUSSION HERE IN JULY, WE HAVE PUT THE CHINESE ON NOTICE THAT AT YOUR MEETING IN NEW YORK YOU ARE PLANNING TO GIVE QIAN A BROAD OUTLINE OF MY PROPOSALS, AND THAT TONY GALSWORTHY AND MICHAEL SZE WILL BE AVAILABLE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU. IF WE WERE NOW TO UNSCRAMBLE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR OFFICIALS FROM HERE TO BE PRESENT IN NEW YORK, THAT WOULD INEVITABLY BE INTERPRETED ON THE CHINESE SIDE AS SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT GIVING THEM ADVANCE NOTICE OF MY PROPOSALS AND COULD WELL
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