TNAG-2706-FCO40-3912-Hong-Kong-political-parties-Democratic-Alliance-for-the-Bett-1993 — Page 23

HKB 011/3 RECEED IN REGISTRY

DESK OF: INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

مور

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

Polit Parties

DAB

5

London SWIA 2AH

From The Minister of State

30 March 1993

Mr Tsang Yok Sing

Chairman

Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong

Room E and F

China Overseas Building 139 Hennessy Road

Hong Kong

Мисс

Marcores hals

ساء

Dow in Tsing

Thank you for your letter of 11 March to Douglas Hurd about Sino-British talks on Hong Kong.

We are disappointed that, after considerable efforts, we have not yet been able to agree with the Chinese Government on a satisfactory basis for talks about the 1994/1995 electoral arrangements for Hong Kong. You will have seen from the Governor's statement to the Legislative Council on 12 March that the British side are ready to negotiate on the basis set out in your letter, that is the Sino-British Joint Declaration, the principle of convergence with the Basic Law and the relevant understandings and agreements reached between China and Britain.

The point at issue was the participation of Hong Kong Government officials in the British team. We do not accept the description of such participation as "interference by third parties". It has been accepted practice for Hong Kong Government officials to be members of the British team in negotiations with China over Hong Kong for the past ten years. We could not accept that their role should be downgraded in the talks we are now seeking.

As far as we are concerned, the door remains open for talks. We would be ready to start at any time.

Grice

نعالهممه

ALASTAIR GOODLAD