PART II: TALKS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON ELECTORAL
ARRANGEMENTS
a) Establishing a basis for talks
18. Her Majesty's Government and the Hong Kong Government
made clear from the outset 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 and passed a copy to the Chinese side. 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.
19. 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 previous discussions between
Britain and China, including the negotiations on the Joint
statement26.8/BRIEFS/NJH
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