TNAG-2715-FCO40-3921-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 103

4. Mr Goodlad reported to the Committee on 9 July on the

Foreign Secretary's meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister in

Peking on 8-9 July. The Foreign Secretary met the Chinese

Foreign Minister again on 1 October, in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Foreign

Secretary emphasised that we are working for success in the

talks. He agreed with the Chinese Foreign Minister that efforts

should be continued during October to reach agreement. The next

Round is on 11-12 October. But the Foreign Secretary made plain that we do not have infinite time to reach agreement, and that

there is a point beyond which we cannot go if elections are to be open, fair and acceptable. He added that if agreement cannot

be reached, Her Majesty's Government would have to take their

responsibilities under the Joint Declaration for the

administration of Hong Kong. They and the Governor would have

to put draft legislation to the Legislative Council to pass the

necessary laws.

5. On 6 October the Governor will be making his annual policy address to the Legislative Council. We will circulate copies of

his speech to members of the Committee.

JOINT LIAISON GROUP

6. A meeting of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group was held in Peking in September. Here too, progress was much slower than we would have wished. The Joint Liaison Group has an important

agenda of work, much of it legal and technical, aimed at

ensuring a smooth transition in 1997. If this agenda is not

completed, there could be uncertainty and confusion in important

areas such as Hong Kong's legal and commercial relationship with the outside world. The British side have put forward proposals

in all these areas for discussion. We would like to see much

faster progress.

fac.enq.PR

SLM