SECRET
F/413 012/2
SET
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 729
OF 161712Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
034326
MDHOAN 0876
PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FROM RICKETTS, HKD
HONG KONG: PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR UKREP JLG: PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTY
(at)
HONG KONG TELNO 2483: THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS
1.
YOU WILL WISH TO BE AWARE THAT MINISTERS HAVE NOW CONSIDERED THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG (TUR).
2.
MINISTERS HAVE AGREED THESE PROPOSALS. THEY DECIDED THAT WHEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE MEETS QIAN QICHEN ON 25 SEPTEMBER ́ HE SHOULD ASK THE CHINESE SIDE TO CONSIDER AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED MEMBERS OF LEGCO BEYOND THE 20 LAID DOWN IN THE BASIC LAW, BUT THAT WE SHOULD NOT SUBSEQUENTLY PRESS THIS POINT. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD ALSO GIVE QIAN A BROAD OUTLINE OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS. (I AM FAXING TO YOU SEPARATELY A DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE FOR THIS PURPOSE, SHORTENED AT MINISTERS' REQUEST). IN SUBSEQUENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE DISCRETION, IF HE THOUGHT IT APPROPRIATE, TO MAKE SOME MINOR CONCESSIONS ON POINTS OF DETAIL WHICH HE HAS ALREADY IDENTIFIED (EG THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM TO BE USED BY THE ELECTION COMMITTEE). BUT NO OTHER MODIFICATIONS SHOULD BE MADE TO THE PROPOSALS, EVEN IF THE CHINESE OPPOSED THEM STRONGLY. FURTHER THOUGHT IS TO BE GIVEN TO THE DOMESTIC PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSALS AND TO BRIEFING KEY FIGURES AT THIS END.
3.
THE MEETING ALSO DECIDED THAT SHORTLY BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS TO LEGCO YOU SHOULD TAKE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE PROPOSALS IN MORE DETAIL. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD BEST BE DONE BY YOUR HANDING OVER TO THEM THE TEXT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH THE DAY BEFORE ITS DELIVERY, IN STRICT CONFIDENCE.
YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE COURSE OF MINISTERIAL CONSIDERATION OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT
4.
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