TNAG-2468-FCO40-3592-Most-favoured-nation-status-for-China-Hong-Kong-interests-1992 — Page 221

que sumelly 1991

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141334

MDTTAN 3968

PROBABLY INTRODUCE A JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL (JRD) CHALLENGING HIS DECISION. CONGRESS MUST VOTE ON A JRD BY 31 AUGUST. AS WITH ALL OTHER LEGISLATION, THIS WILL BE SUBJECT TO A PRESIDENTIAL VETO, AND OVERRIDE ATTEMPT. BUT WITH A JRD, CONGRESS HAS ONLY 15 DAYS TO OVERRIDE A PRESIDENTIAL VETO.

5. IT IS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT EXACTLY WHEN THE DEBATE AND VETO ON A JRD WILL TAKE PLACE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE TIMETABLE MAY BE TELESCOPED INTO AUGUST, BUT COULD EASILY STRETCH INTO SEPTEMBER.

6.

IT IS PROBABLE THAT, IN ADDITION TO THE ATTEMPT TO CHALLENGE THIS YEAR'S MFN DECISION, CONGRESS WILL ALSO SEEK TO ATTACH CONDITIONS FOR RENEWAL OF MFN IN 1993/1994, IN THE SAME WAY AS LAST YEAR, BY INTRODUCING NEW BILLS. THESE COULD BE INTRODUCED AND DEBATED AT ANY TIME, BUT, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, CONGRESS HAS TRIED TO HOLD THE DEBATES AT ROUGHLY THE SAME TIME AS THE DEBATES ON A JRD. I EXPECT A NUMBER OF BILLS WILL BE INTRODUCED SETTING SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT CONDITIONS. THESE WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES, AND THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BILLS IRONED OUT, BEFORE BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE AGREE ON A VERSION TO PUT TO THE PRESIDENT. THIS CAN TAKE SOME TIME. (AS YOU KNOW THE BILL VOTED ON LAST WEEK ORIGINATED IN ATTEMPTS TO SET CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE LAST MFN RENEWAL IN 1992.) IF THERE ARE ANY BILLS OUTSTANDING AT THE END OF THE SESSION (OCTOBER/NOVEMBER), THEY AUTOMATICALLY DIE, AND NEW BILLS WILL HAVE TO BE INTRODUCED IN

1993.

SIGNED S D PATTISON

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