TNAG-2715-FCO40-3921-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 65

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16.

The FS added that before the Governor's speech in 1992 there had been complaints about lack of transparency. These had disappeared. But it was noticeable that similar. complaints were now beginning to reappear.

17.

The CS also noted the question of the Court of Final Appeal. This was agreed in secret. The HKG thought

the result was acceptable. But had got nowhere in Legco.

18.

Mr Lester said that Mr Zhou Nan had said that if

the FAC talked to the previous Ambassadors and Governors

then they would all say that the current way of dealing

with the PRC was ineffective. The CS noted that historical

circumstances changed.

19.

Mr Sumberg asked why the Governor had not gone to

Peking when he had first arrived in Hong Kong.

20.

go.

the

The CS said the Governor had been quite ready to

However the Chinese had laid down two conditions

political talks there should be no change to the

number of directly elected seats; and no liberals (such as

Mr Martin Lee) on the Executive Council. The Governor had

been in a straight jacket. In the event he had decided not

to confront the Chinese. He stayed within the Basic Law

and finessed the problem of ExCo Membership. But having

made this decision he could not go to China for private

discussions and return to Hong Kong announcing that there

would be no change to the number of directly elected seats

and no liberals on the Executive Council. He would have

immediately appeared to be a lame duck.

21.

The CS raised the

said that he thought that

question of nationality.

the Act that Parliament

He

had

passed had been a good one. It had done its job. It had not caused the problems that many had feared.

20

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