TNAG-2693-FCO40-3896-Meetings-and-calls-on-Alastair-Goodlad--Minister-of-State-fo-1993 — Page 81

HONG KONG

CONFIDENTIAL

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Governor has now resumed his duties.

I reported last week that I had just received a message from the Chinese Foreign Minister, accepting our proposal for talks without preconditions on the electoral arrangements for Hong Kong.

We have now proposed that these talks should start in Peking on 24 February, led on our side by our Ambassador, Sir Robin

McLaren. Still waiting for confirmation from Chinese. Once we have this, will be announcing as soon as possible, given the level of speculation in Hong Kong.

Governor, on the advice of ExCo, has decided not to publish the draft legislation on electoral arrangements until we can see whether the talks are likely to lead anywhere. But we have told the Chinese that there cannot be indefinite delay, and that LegCo needs to enact the necessary legislation before the summer recess.

- Some of the liberals in Hong Kong will be suspicious about

talks with the Chinese. But that view is not widely shared in Hong Kong. This is a sensible step to see whether we can find common ground with China, and reduce the level of

confrontation.

We will be briefing those interested on all sides in Parliament to forestall any impression of a significant change of course.

Negotiations would need to make a good deal of progress before it would be worth considering bringing Foreign Ministers into play. Propose to keep that card in reserve for the time being.

CONFIDENTIAL