TNAG-2452-FCO40-3569-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 82

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p. a. Constir dempt

147212 MDLIAN 0748

210

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2869

OF 09075OZ DECEMBER 92

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

WHz azte

PRO-CHINESE COMMENT ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM.

1. YESTERDAY'S PEOPLE'S DAILY PUBLISHES A SIGNED NCNA

COMMENTARY ATTACKING ME FOR PLAYING TRICKS WITH THE AIM OF TRYING

TO CONTINUE BRITISH COLONIAL RULE IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. IT

ALSO ATTACKS (A FIRST EXCLAM) MY CHINESE NAME AS CONVEYING A

FALSE PROMISE. THE NAME CONVEYS A SENSE OF STABILITY AND

HEALTHINESS.

2.

MORE INTERESTINGLY, HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISER LIU YIU-CHU (WHO HAS RECENTLY RETURNED FROM PEKING) WAS REPORTED AS SAYING

THE CHINESE WERE NOW PLANNING TO FORM A COMMITTEE COMPRISING

REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS POLITICAL PARTIES AND GROUPS WITH A

VIEW TO WORKING OUT A COUNTER PROPOSAL ACCEPTABLE TO ALL HONG KONG LEGISLATORS. ALSO INTERESTING WAS A RECENT REPORTED COMMENT BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES CONSTITUENCY LEGCO REPRESENTATIVE, CHIM PUI-CHUNG, (WHO HAS BEEN VERY NEGATIVE SO FAR) SAYING THAT I SHOULD BE ASKED TO AMEND MY PROPOSALS RATHER THAN WITHDRAW THEM.

PATTEN

YYYY

MAIN

63

DISTRIBUTION

72

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

NEWS D

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES MR APPLEYARD MR HUM

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