CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 230945Z FCO
TELNO 2948
OF 230907Z DECEMBER 92
CONFIDENTIAL
this 017/2
p.a. Constit semes
a generally southing performance by lu T
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
007675 MDHIAN 3550
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT : REMARKS BY LU PING
1. TODAY'S MEDIA REPORT PROMINENTLY REMARKS LU PING MADE ON 22 DECEMBER TO THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HONG KONG (DAB). DAB CHAIRMAN TSANG YOK-SING AND SECRETARY-GENERAL CHENG KAI-NAM QUOTED LU'S REMARKS AFTER THE MEETING. THE MAIN POINTS WERE:
CHINA DID NOT INTEND TO SET UP A SECOND CENTRE OF POWER OR A SHADOW GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 EVEN IF MY PROPOSALS WERE IMPLEMENTED. IF THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1995 DID NOT CONVERGE WITH THE BASIC LAW, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD ESTABLISH THE FIRST SAR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATURE IN 1997 IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE BASIC LAW.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SAR, SCHEDULED FOR 1996, WOULD NOT BE ADVANCED. THE CHINESE SIDE WAS CONSIDERING SETTING UP A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE ON TRANSITIONAL MATTERS. LU DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY FIRM TIMING FOR ITS ESTABLISHMENT BUT SAID THAT CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO FORMING IT IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD LIKE TO COLLECT VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AT THE PRESENT STAGE.
CHINA WOULD WORK HARD TO ENSURE CONVERGENCE. EVEN IF THERE WAS NON-CONVERGENCE, CHINA HOPED CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD STAY ON AND DID NOT WANT LARGE-SCALE PERSONNEL CHANGES.
ON CONTRACTS INVOLVING FRANCHISES, THE CHINESE STILL HOPED THAT THEY COULD BE DISCUSSED AND SETTLED THROUGH THE JLG. NOT ALL CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997 NEEDED CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE SIDE. DOCUMENTS SUCH AS DRIVING LICENCES AND TAXI LICENCES COULD BE HANDLED IN ONE GO AFTER 1997.
THE STATEMENT BY NCNA ON JARDINES WAS AIMED AT ONE, NOT ALL, BRITISH FIRMS. IT CRITICISED THE POLITICAL, NOT THE ECONOMIC AND
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