TNAG-2494-FCO40-3626-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 211

UNCLASSIFIED

077104

MDHIAN

57

CHINESE GOVERNMENT COULD NOT COMPROMISE

OR GIVE WAY ON ANY MATTER

OF PRINCIPLE. THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD PROCEED FROM THE OVERALL SITUATION OF UPHOLDING SINO-BRITISH

RELATIONS AND SAFEGUARDING HONG KONG'S LONG TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AND IN REAL EARNEST RETURN TO THE CORRECT PATTERN. THIS

WAS THE ONLY WAY OUT.

ENDS.

3.

ACCORDING TO THE LEFT-WING PRESS IN HONG KONG ON 23 NOVEMBER, LU PING ALSO MADE HARD-LINE COMMENTS TO THE NEW HONG KONG ALLIANCE

ON 22 NOVEMBER. WE BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE FIRST TIME LU HAS SPELT OUT: (A) THAT THERE ARE/ARE MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE TWO SIDES: AND (B) THAT CHINA'S PRECONDITIONS FOR TALKING ARE THE GOVERNOR'S WITHDRAWAL OF HIS PROPOSALS AND HMG'S CONFIRMATION THAT

THE SERIES OF UNDERSTANDINGS AND AGREEMENTS ALREADY REACHED ARE STILL EFFECTIVE (OTHERWISE ANY AGREEMENTS REACHED IN THE FUTURE COULD BE CAST ASIDE BY HMG AT WILL).

MCLAREN

YYYY

MAIN

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

63

DISTRIBUTION

72

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

.AND MS BROOKS

NEWS D

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR APPLEYARD

MR HUM

CAOFF//MR CHARLTON

PS/PM

ADDITIONAL

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE

CAOFF //MISS NEVILLE-JONES

CAOFF//MR SIBSON

CACFF //MS D.. CORNER

~~~~

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