TNAG-2493-FCO40-3625-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 133

CONFIDENTIAL

MDHIAN

3.

POSITION BEING ADOPTED BY HMG WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON

CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS. THE OMELCO CONSENSUS WAS PASSED TO

THE CHINESE SIDE AT AN THAT IT COMMANDED WIDE

EARLIER STAGE: IT WAS POINTED OUT PUBLIC SUPPORT IN HONG KONG. THE

REASON WHY IT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE PUBLISHED DOCUMENTS

IS THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BY THEN MOVED BEYOND THAT

STAGE.

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WERE KEPT FULLY BRIEFED THROUGHOUT THESE DISCUSSIONS. HMG'S AIM IN THESE DISCUSSIONS WAS TO

SEEK THE MAXIMUM EXTENT OF DEMOCRACY FOR THE FUTURE

CONSISTENT WITHE EXPRESSED DESIRE FOR THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997. UNQUOTE.

ON GROUNDS OF CONFIDENTIALITY, WE INTEND TO GIVE STONE- WALLING ANSWERS IN RESPONSE TO LIKELY SUPPLEMENTARIES ON FURTHER

DETAILS OF THE DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS AND/OR EXCO DISCUSSIONS.

WE SHALL STICK CLOSELY TO THE DEFENSIVE MATERIAL AND

SUPPLEMENTARY Q AND A'S PREPARED FOR THE PUBLICATION OF THE DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES ON 28 OCTOBER.

5. GRATEFUL FOR COMMENTS FROM YOU AND PEKING DESKBY 10010OZ.

PATTEN

YYYY

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CONFIDENTIAL

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Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)|