TNAG-2494-FCO40-3626-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 54

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DEVELOPMENT. OUR STRATEGY REMAINS TO INTRODUCE DRAFT LEGISLATION INTO LEGCO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER THIS CAN BE DONE BEFORE RATHER THAN AFTER THE CHINESE NEW YEAR, I.E. IN MID-JANUARY RATHER THAN EARLY OR MID FEBRUARY. WE WILL BE GIVING CAREFUL THOUGHT TO THE HANDLING OF LEGCO, AND INDEED OF EXCO, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

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THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WILL BE DIFFICULT ONES. THE CHINESE CAMPAIGN WILL CONTINUE AT AT LEAST ITS PRESENT LEVEL UNTIL THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MAKES A DECISION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS PUT TO IT. HOW TOUGH THE CHINESE ARE PREPARED TO BE UNTIL THEN, OR INDEED THEREAFTER, IS BY NO MEANS CLEAR. SO FAR, THEY HAVE CONFINED THEMSELVES TO STATEMENTS, ALBEIT PRETTY HOSTILE STATEMENTS, RATHER THAN TAKING ANY DIRECT ACTION. THERE ARE RUMOURS THAT SOME SORT OF PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OR 'SHADOW GOVERNMENT' WILL BE SET UP AT AROUND THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT IT IS BY NO MEANS CERTAIN THAT THIS WILL ACTUALLY HAPPEN UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE LEGCO VOTE TAKES PLACE. IN THE MEANTIME, OUR POLICY CONTINUES TO BE RIDE THE STORM, WHILE REITERATING OUR READINESS TO CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS THAT MEET THE CRITERIA OF BEING FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE ARE ALSO INCREASING OUR PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITIES AND MAKING A PARTICULAR EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC THIRD PARTY SUPPORT.

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