TNAG-2702-FCO40-3908-Memoirs-of-Sir-Percy-Cradock--diplomat-and-sinologist-1993 — Page 137

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FROM: J C Morris

Hong Kong Dept

DATE: 5 August 1993

Sir J Coles

SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S MEMOIRS

1.

I submit a revised annex containing detailed amendments which we should like to see in Chapters 23 and 24 of Sir P Cradock's memoirs.

//

A 2. In addition, as requested in Sir J Coles minute of 4 August,

I attach copies of extracts from the Governor's inaugural address and from his 1992 Legco speech, in which he makes clear his desire for close cooperation with the Chinese Government. The Chinese were first informed of the content of the Governor's Legco speech during the Secretary of State's meeting with Qian Qichen in New York on 25 September 1992, and also by letter from the Governor to Lu Ping on 26 September (but this latter is not public knowledge). We did not give them the text of the speech but gave a detailed account of the substance of the proposals in the constitutional part of the speech. (Texts of Secretary of State's speaking note and Governor's letter are attached).

B

3.

It is a fact that the Chinese had been requesting that we consult them over the 1995 elections for some time before the Governor's appointment. We had agreed in principle to do this, but had not entered into concrete discussions, in large part because we had not developed any proposals before the Governor's arrival. Sir P Cradock over-simplifies in stating that we rejected a Chinese request for consultation before the Governor's speech was delivered.

The Chinese asked that we

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