TNAG-2716-FCO40-3922-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 108

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TO CESKEY 10030Z PEKING

TELNO 8

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NEO CESKBY 10030Z HONG KONG, UKREP LG HONG KONG

207

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30061

MOHOAN 2342

COPY ST?

PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR PEKING AND GOVERNOR HONG KONG FROM MCLAREN, AUSS

(FOR UKREP

UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY)

-ONG KONG TELSNOS 503, 504, 505 AND 511, AND PEKING TELSNOS 196 AND 198: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

(FOR HONG KONG). MINISTERS ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR THE CONSTRUCTIVE WAY IN WHICH YOU HAVE CONSIDERED THE PRESENT SITUATION, AND FOR YOUR ADVICE. THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE WHICH NON-GOVERNMENT MEMBERS OF EXCO ATTACH TO THE ISSUE OF DIFFERENTIAL VOTING AND ARE PREPARED TO MAKE A SERIOUS EFFORT TO SECURE THE REMOVAL OF THE PROVISION ON THIS WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE DRAFT BASIC LAW.

ADDED TO THE DRAFT BASIC LAW. THEY DO NOT, HOWEVER, SEE THIS ADMITTEDLY UNNECESSARY AND CUMBERSOME PROCEDURE IN QUITE THE SAME LIGHT AS EXCO AND DO NOT WISH TO MAKE ITS OMISSION AN ABSOLUTE PRECONDITION FOR THE CONCLUSION OF UNDERSTANDING ON NUMBERS, WHICH THEY CONTINUE TO SEE AS IN HONG KONG'S BEST INTERESTS.

2. (FOR PEKING). MIFT CONTAINS THE TEXT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S DEFINITIVE REPLY TO QIAN'S MESSAGE OF 3 FEBRUARY. PLEASE DELIVER IT, PREFERABLY TO QIAN HIMSELF, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

3. IN HANDING OVER THE MESSAGE, YOU SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:-

(A) THE TERMS OF THE MESSAGE REFLECT THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT'S STRONG DESIRE TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. THIS IS A SINCERE ATTEMPT TO RECONCILE THEIR WISH FOR A CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA OVER HONG KONG WITH THEIR EQUALLY STRONG WISH THAT HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM SHOULD EVOLVE IN THE RIGHT WAY AND AT THE

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