TNAG-2494-FCO40-3626-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 45

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2834

OF 04094OZ DECEMBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

(127

134532 MDHIAN 0945

SOT

HKG CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997 : LEGCO QUESTION

SUMMARY

1.

HENRY TANG HAS TABLED AN ORAL QUESTION ON CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997. A LINE TO TAKE IN ANSWERING IT IS NEEDED.

DETAIL

2. LEGCO MEMBER HENRY TANG (CRC) HAS SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING ORAL QUESTION ON CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997 FOR THE LEGCO SITTING ON 9 DECEMBER :

QUOTE IN VIEW OF THE STATEMENT MADE BY CHINA ON LACK OF VALIDITY AFTER 30 JUNE 1997 OF CONTRACTS, LEASES AND AGREEMENTS SIGNED OR RATIFIED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL:

(A) OF THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTS, LEASES AND AGREEMENTS STRADDLING 30 JUNE 1997 WHICH HAVE BEEN SIGNED OR RATIFIED WITHOUT THE EXPLICIT AGREEMENT OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, AND WHAT THEY ARE:

(B) WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOW SEEK THE EXPLICIT AGREEMENT OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT FOR THE CONTRACTS MENTIONED IN (A) ABOVE IN THE LIGHT OF THE STATEMENT: AND

(C) OF THE CONTRACTS, LEASES AND AGREEMENTS WHICH THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO SIGN OR RATIFY BETWEEN NOW AND 30 JUNE 1997? UNQUOTE

2.

THE TIMING OF THIS LEGCO QUESTION RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF JLG XXV IS AWKWARD. WE CERTAINLY ARE NOT/NOT IN A POSITION TO GIVE ANY FIGURES IN ANSWER TO PARTS (A) AND (C) OF THE QUESTION. FIRST, THE EXPRESSION CONTRACTS, LEASES AND AGREEMENTS' IS VERY VAGUE. FOR EXAMPLE, DOES IT INCLUDE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS, TENANCY AGREEMENTS WITH PUBLIC HOUSING TENANTS,

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012/4.

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