TNAG-2495-FCO40-3628-Future-of-Hong-Kong-talks-between-the-UK-and-China-regarding-1992 — Page 19

CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET

the pace of political development in Hong Kong has been a

neuralgic point for the Chinese ever since 1984. We have had

difficult discussions with them each time we have wanted to

make a modest move forward on democracy, although the present dispute appears to be the most serious. On each previous occasion (particularly 1987/88 and 1990) we were prepared to accommodate the most pressing Chinese demands;

despite the immense amount of material we have handed

over to the Chinese in this period, there is probably nothing

which bears so directly on the Governor's 1995 election

proposals as the material already published form the 1990

exchanges. This is because much of the earlier discussion of

electoral issues has since been overtaken by the political

development which has already happened in Hong Kong.

there was also a great deal of debate about the general

question of convergence and the terms of the Basic Law. No

doubt the Chinese could find other documents to publish which would show that we were keen to achieve convergence if we

could. But I do not consider that we need feel ashamed of

And

pursuing that as a policy objective. For most of the period

under review, we were trying to influence the shape of the

Basic Law so that it would be feasible for Hong Kong's

developing political system to converge with it. I think that we could if necessary defend that as an entirely reasonable objective.

chett

PF Ricketts

record. GEN.kr

CONFIDENTIAL COVERING SECRET