TNAG-2481-FCO40-3612-UK-opposition-party-policies-regarding-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 2

CONFIDENTIAL

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THE GOVERNOR'S MEETING WITH MR JACK CUNNINGHAM AND MR ALLAN ROGERS: 18 NOVEMBER

LAST PAPER

The Governor had a breakfast meeting with Mr Jack Cunningham and Mr Allan Rogers on 18 November. Mr Yaxley, Mr Llewellyn and myself were also present.

He

2. The Governor outlined the present political situation in Hong Kong, and described the pressures that the Chinese were putting on members of LegCo and the business community. explained why he had felt it necessary to make his proposals public before discussing them with the Chinese, and pointed out that the Chinese had been given almost two weeks advance notice of what he proposed to say. He said that he remained willing to consider any alternative proposals that met the criteria of being fair, open and acceptable to the people of Hong Kong. So far only some general ideas had been put forward, rather than specific proposals.

3.

Mr Cunningham said that he and Mr John Smith had met Zhu Rongji on 17 November. Zhu had lectured them on the iniquities of the Governor's constitutional proposals and was clearly very angry. They had said that the Labour Party supported the Governor's proposals. This was indeed the case. Their only criticism would be that he should have gone further.

4. Mr Rogers said that he was concerned about the extent of opposition to the Governor's proposals in the business community. During his visit to Hong Kong, he had been impressed by the extent to which people there had accepted that there would be a "Democratic Deficit" in the Territory but he himself felt that the proposals should have gone further. He was concerned about the prospect of the proposals being badly watered down by the Legislative Council. also against the separation of ExCo and LegCo.

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CONFIDENTIAL