UNCLASSIFIED
073512
MDLIAN 6936
6936
24.
REPORTS NOTED (19.11) A MEETING CALLED BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND ATTENDED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THE AMBASSADOR TO CHINA ROBIN MCLAREN, THE FOREIGN OFFICE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HK ALASTAIR GOODLAD AND THE GOVERNOR. THE GOVERNOR WAS QUOTED AS SAYING AFTER THE MEETING THAT HE WAS PLEASED THAT PROPOSALS ON HIS POLITICAL PACKAGE HAD STARTED TO COME FORWARD FROM INDIVIDUALS AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS IN HK. THE GOVERNOR SAID HE THOUGHT THE POLITICAL PROPOSALS REPRESENTED THE MIDDLE GROUND AND THE POINT OF BALANCE IN HK. HE SAID HE HAD BEEN GIVEN UNEQUIVOCAL SUPPORT TO THE APPROACH BEING TAKEN FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
25.
WAH KIU YAT PO REPORTED (19.11) OFFICERS IN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS HAD DRAWN UP 3 MEASURES TO DEAL WITH HK IN VIEW OF THE CURRENT DISPUTE: PROPOSING ADVANCING THE FORMATION OF A SAR GOVERNMENT PREPARATION COMMITTEE AT THE NPC GENERAL MEETING NEXT MARCH, CUTTING DOWN ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE ON HK, AND A DIRECT APPROACH TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE INSTEAD OF THE GOVERNOR ON HK CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS. QUOTING WELL-INFORMED SOURCES, THE PAPER SAID AFTER THE 14TH PARTY CONGRESS, LI PENG REMAINED IN CHARGE OF HK AND MACAU MATTERS. LU PING HAD ALSO JOINED THE GROUP. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THE NCNA HK BRANCH, HK BRANCHES OF CHINESE ORGANISATIONS AND LOCAL ORGANISATIONS REPRESENTING CHINESE INTERESTS HAD RECEIVED AN INSTRUCTION FROM THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT NOT TO COMPROMISE ON HK ISSUES.
26.
REPORTS NOTED (19.11) THE JAPANESE CONSUL-GENERAL IN HK, MASAKE ORITA, SAID JAPAN WELCOMED THE GOVERNOR'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY IN HK WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE JD AND THE BL. MR ORITA SAID HE BELIEVED CHINA AND BRITAIN WOULD REACH AN AGREEMENT OVER HK'S POLITICAL REFORMS IN VIEW OF THE TRADITIONAL CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. HE SAID JAPANESE INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE IN HK WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED AND JAPAN'S FINANCIERS WOULD BE EAGER TO TAKE PART IN THE AIRPORT PROJECT.
27.
THE NOVEMBER ISSUE OF THE 'CONTEMPORARY MAGAZINE NOTED PEKING, IN AN INTERNAL CIRCULAR, SAID CHINA'S POLICY TOWARDS BRITAIN WOULD REMAIN FIRM TO THE END AND THAT CADRES RESPONSIBLE FOR HK AFFAIRS SHOULD GUARD AGAINST BRITISH ATTEMPTS TO CAUSE CHAOS IN HK IN THE NEXT 5 YEARS. THE PRO PEKING PAPERS COMMENTED (19.11) THERE WAS NO USE PLAYING THE INTERNATIONAL CARD IN THE
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