TNAG-2712-FCO40-3918-Parliamentary-relations-draft-White-Paper-on-Representative--1993 — Page 137

PART II: TALKS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON ELECTORAL

ARRANGEMENTS

a) Establishing a basis for talks

29. Her Majesty's Government and the Hong Kong Government made clear from the outset that the Governor's proposals were not firm decisions, and that they were open to alternative ideas, either from the Chinese side or from people in Hong Kong. A wide range of alternative suggestions were made by groups and individuals in Hong Kong in the months after the

Governor's announcement. The Hong Kong Government published in early 1993 a compendium of these alternative ideas. This compendium was intended to assist members of the Legislative Council when they came to consider the draft legislation which would be required to give effect to the electoral arrangements

for 1994 and 1995.

30.

The Hong Kong Government's original intention had been

to submit such draft legislation to the Legislative Council in February 1993. But early in the year, Her Majesty's Government in conjunction with the Hong Kong Government, took the initiative to repeat formally to the Chinese side that

they were willing to hold talks about the electoral

arrangements without preconditions. This led to intensive

diplomatic contacts in Peking during February and March 1993

to explore whether a productive basis for formal talks could

be found. Her Majesty's Government confirmed that they were ready for talks on the basis of the Joint Declaration, the

principle of convergence with the Basic Law, and the relevant

agreements and understandings reached between Britain and

China. They also made plain that in any talks, the British team would include the necessary Hong Kong Government

officials, on the same basis as other officials from London

and Peking. This was consistent with the practice followed in

statememt26.8/BRIEFS/NJH

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