TNAG-2709-FCO40-3915-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 116

We want to achieve as much continuity as possible for

Hong Kong in 1997. It therefore makes sense to discuss

these issues with the Chinese Government with the aim of

reaching an understanding with them. We have been trying to arrange talks for several months. We received a

positive response on the principle of talks from the Chinese side in early February. You might find it useful

to know the basis on which we were prepared to hold them.

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. The Governor's proposals are wholly compatible with

these.

Second 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 the role of people from

Hong Kong should be downgraded in discussions about Hong

Kong's future.

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To help get talks started, we and the Governor

therefore decided, with the advice of the Executive Council

in Hong Kong, to postpone the original plan to publish the

draft electoral legislation in Hong Kong's Official Gazette

on 12 February. As the diplomatic contacts proceeded, we

held up publication for four further weeks. But we told

the Chinese side that it was not possible to delay

indefinitely, given the need to pass legislation before the

Legislative Council rose for its summer recess in July.