TNAG-2490-FCO40-3622-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1992 — Page 141

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 24083OZ FCO

TELNO 2553

OF 240507Z OCTOBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

за

167203

MDHIAN 4782

FOR RESIDENT CLERK, PLEASE PASS TO HUM, AUSS AND RICKETTS, HKD

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: EXCHANGE OF SINO-BRITISH MESSAGES PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE BASIC LAW.

1. WHEN BRIEFING LEGCO ON 24 OCTOBER ON MY PEKING VISIT, I WAS ASKED WHETHER I WOULD AGREE TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL THE EXCHANGE OF MESSAGES BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF THE BASIC LAW. THE QUESTION WAS OF COURSE PROMPTED BY LU PING'S CLAIM OF SECRET AGREEMENTS. THE MESSAGES ARE THOSE BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND QIAN OF JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1990.

2. I SAID THAT RELEASE WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS, BUT THERE WOULD BE NO OBJECTION FROM THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG.

3. THE PRESS WILL NO DOUBT PURSUE THIS POINT WITH YOU. I SUGGEST THAT YOU GIVE HOLDING REPLIES OVER THE WEEKEND. I WILL SEND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE WAY FORWARD ON 26 OCTOBER.

PATTEN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

64

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BROOKS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

DISTRIBUTION

73

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR APPLEYARD

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