TNAG-2707-FCO40-3913-Hong-Kong-political-parties-Cooperative-Resources-Centre-(CR-1993 — Page 5

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would therefore have to look at it at that time very carefully.

In reply to a question from Mrs Selina Chow that the votes from official members could cut both ways, the Governor gave the example that the votes from the official members could swing the voting results either way, i.e. we could either get a majority vote as a result of votes from the officials or lose the majority vote as ཧཱ result of official votes. In the near future, China would exert all possible United Front tactics on Legislative Council members in order to influence the discussion on the Bill and the voting results. It would however be difficult for the Hong Kong Government to do the same thing and influence Legislative Council members. The Governor added that the Hong Kong Government would certainly do its best to explain the Bill and argue for it, but we would not force the Bill through LegCo.

Mrs Miriam Lau asked whether the officials would abstain from voting. The Governor replied that he had already said on previous occasions that the discussion in LegCo would be difficult if the voting results depended only on the votes from the official members. He therefore did not wish to see that situation arising.

Mr. Allen Lee asked the Governor whether Hong Kong would mend its fences with China or whether China would change its attitude on Hong Kong. The Governor said it was difficult to tell at the present moment. However during his visit to Peking last year, he had been told that China would wish to have the talks through special channels or at the JLG. China had apparently changed its position 24 hours before we had thought of gazetting the Bill on 5th February. Nevertheless, China had also at that time laid down conditions such as secrecy and no attendance by Hong Kong officials at the talks. These nonetheless were Hong Kong's bottom-line. It had been tiresome and disappointing dealing with the Chinese style and strategy. He didn't believe that what we had put to LegCo recently was a threat to China. China had always said that she would want to have cooperation with Hong Kong and work towards developing Hong Kong's economic prosperity and stability.

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