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A narrative section on the development of representative government in Hong Kong up to the start of the talks. One of the purposes of this section is to answer the criticism that we should have introduced democracy to Hong Kong at a much earlier stage.
An account of the talks themselves. The sub-text here
is that throughout the talks we made serious efforts to
narrow the gaps between the two sides with a series of moves taking account of Chinese concerns; the Chinese side made no comparable efforts in response.
A section analysing the proposals put forward by the two sides against our criteria that elections should be fair and open.
This explains, without polemics, why we
were not able to accept the Chinese position on the main issues.
The
It will be important that this White Paper is ready for publication shortly after a breakdown of the talks, if that is what happens. I am working on the assumption that a breakdown could happen almost any time after OPD (K) on 10 November. draft will need some further minor up-dating to take account of developments at the next round of talks on 27-28 October, and to reflect the line taken by Ministers following OPD (K). But I believe that the great bulk of it will stand unchanged. It incorporates several rounds of comments from Hong Kong, Peking and Departments concerned here, including RAD. We understand from HMSO that we should allow three weeks to produce a White Paper. I therefore recommend that we pass the text to them on 29 October, following the next round, and explain that Ministers wish it to have high priority. We can then up-date further as necessary at proof stage. HKG will arrange to publish the text simultaneously in Hong Kong, and also need to get ahead with translation of it.
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