TNAG-2706-FCO40-3912-Hong-Kong-political-parties-Democratic-Alliance-for-the-Bett-1993 — Page 25

Sing.SA.JRB

March 1993

// To issue

г ния

رح

Ver

6. J. Amazi

30/3

Mr Tsang Yok Sing

Chairman

Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong

Room E and F

China Overseas Building

139 Hennessy Road

Hong Kong

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. To exclude Hong Kong