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12.
I HAVE ASKED THE CHIEF SECRETARY AND THE POLITICAL ADVISER TO WORK UP URGENTLY PROPOSALS ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WHICH WOULD MEET MY THREE CRITERIA AND FIT WITHIN THE SORT OF FRAMEWORK THE CHINESE NOW SEEM PREPARED TO ENVISAGE. WE MIGHT STILL BE ABLE TO GET MY ORIGINAL PROPOSALS THROUGH LEGCO, BUT IT WOULD BE BLOODY. I AM PREPARED TO SETTLE FOR SOMETHING CLOSE TO WHAT I PROPOSED WHICH MEETS WITH COMMUNITY SUPPORT IF THIS CALMS CHINA DOWN. IT IS HOWEVER OF COURSE CRITICAL THAT ANYTHING WE CONSIDER SHOULD BE ABLE TO GAIN MAJORITY SUPPORT IN LEGCO.
13.
THE ONLY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WHO WILL KNOW OF AND BE INVOLVED IN THIS EXERCISE, OTHER THAN MYSELF, CS AND PA, WILL BE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND MR.GALSWORTHY.
14.
IF/IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHICH MIGHT SQUARE THE CIRCLE, WE NEED TO CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY HOW TO FATHER IT INTO LEGCO. A SERIES OF CHINESE WALLS MAY BE NEEDED. VINCENT CHENG AND JIMMY MCGREGOR (OBVIOUSLY NOT KNOWING WHAT LAU WAS TOLD IN PEKING) HAVE THIS MORNING SUGGESTED TO US IN STRICT CONFIDENCE THAT THEY PRODUCE COMPROMISES. THEY BOTH EXPRESSED DOUBTS THAT THE ORIGINAL PROPOSALS COULD NOW PASS.
15.
AS WELL AS THE LEGCO ANGLE, WE NEED TO CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY HOW TO DEAL WITH THE CHINESE. C.H.TUNG WILL BE GOING TO PEKING THIS WEEKEND. AS A FIRST STEP, AND WITHOUT TELLING HIM WHAT LAU TOLD US, I PLAN TO SEND A MESSAGE WITH HIM SAYING THAT I DO NOT WANT THE SITUATION TO WORSEN AND THAT I THINK IT QUITE LIKELY THAT SOMEONE IN LEGCO WILL PUT FORWARD ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS WHICH I NATURALLY HOPE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO ALL. LU PING OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER FROM THIS.
17. I WOULD WELCOME ANY VIEWS YOU MAY HAVE.
PATTEN
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Redacted under FOI exemptions 27(1), 40(2) and 41.
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