TNAG-2708-FCO40-3914-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 41

Some two months ago, we renewed our efforts to get talks

underway with China. Since then, there have been intensive

diplomatic contacts in Peking. It may be useful for the House

if I set out the basis on which we were prepared to hold

discussions.

First, we accepted that the talks should be on the basis of

the Joint Declaration, the principle of convergence with the

Basic Law and the relevant understandings and agreements

reached between Britain and China. We consider the Governor's

proposals to be wholly compatible with these.

Second, as I made plain to the House on 10 March, we told the

Chinese side that the British team in these discussions would

include representatives of the Hong Kong Government on the

same basis as other officials taking part in the talks. Hong

Kong officials have participated over the last ten years in

discussions with the Chinese side as members of the British

team, including during the negotiations on the Joint

Declaration and subsequently as members of the Joint Liaison

Group. We cannot and do not accept what some Chinese

officials have said in the last few days that people from

Hong Kong have no right to participate in discussions about

Hong Kong's future.

sosstatement15.3