TNAG-2493-FCO40-3625-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 147

ACCOUNT OF THESE POINTS, WHICH MAY WELL NOT FIND FAVOUR WITH THE GO NOR OR IN LONDON. BUT I OFFER THE FOLLOWING MINOR SUG STIONS:

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SECOND PARAGRAPH.

FOR THE SAKE OF BALANCE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD SOMETHING LIKE, BUT THE CHINESE HAVE REGISTERED STRONG OPPOSITION' AT THE END OF THIS PARAGRAPH.

PARAGRAPH 5. I WOULD AMEND THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND SENTENCE TO READ SOMETHING LIKE, 'I VERY MUCH DOUBT THAT .

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PARAGRAPH 6. SEE PARA 2 ABOVE. I HOPE THAT YOU CAN WORK IN SOME REFERENCE TO THE FACT THAT THE CHINESE ARE UNLIKELY TO ACQUIESCE IN LEGISLATION ON THE PRESENT LINES.

PARAGRAPH 8. I THINK THE GOVERNOR HAS NOW ACCEPTED THAT ONE OF THE CONCESSIONS HE ORIGINALLY HAD IN MIND (THAT OF OFFERING TO INCLUDE NPC AND CPPCC DELEGATES IN THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, PROVIDED THAT THEY WERE ELECTED IN HONG KONG BY UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE) WOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A CONCESSION BY THE CHINESE.

PARAGRAPH 9. SEE PARA 4 ABOVE.

PARAGRAPH 10. A REFERENCE MIGHT BE MADE TO WHAT QIAN QICHEN SAID IN HIS MEETING WITH THE GOVERNOR ABOUT RAISING THE NEGOTIATIONS TO THE LEVEL OF FOREIGN OR PRIME MINISTERS. ('IF THE CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS COULD NOT MAKE PROGRESS THEN THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OR PRIME MINISTERS WOULD HAVE TO HOLD TALKS' PARAGRAPH 13 OF MY TELNO 1466). IF THE CHINESE TAKE ANY INITIATIVE IN THE MATTER IT COULD TAKE THE FORM OF A PROPOSAL FOR TALKS BETWEEN THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND QIAN.

MCLAREN

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PEHPAN 3949

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