TNAG-2716-FCO40-3922-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 15

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SECRET

Discussions with the Chinese on Electoral Issues A 'Rebuttal! Brief on Likely Chinese Lines of Attack

Probable Items

A.

9.

Governor's proposals are inconsistent with the CD since they were not the subject of consultation before they were announced.

This is inconsistent with the Joint Declaration requirement of closer cooperation in the second half of the transition period.

Rebuttal

A. 1

A.2

A.3

The Governor's Legco speech does not amount to a breach of the JD. The Governor's proposals were proposals and not decisions. There is no reason why he could not make them public before discussions with the Chinese began. We have always said that we were willing to discuss the 1995 Elections with the Chinese Government without preconditions.

It has been the Chinese, if anyone, who have refused to cooperate.

We too could cite examples where the attitude of the Chinese Government was not compatible with the JD's prescription for closer cooperation in the latter half of the transition period. We are for example most disturbed that some of the proposals We have made in the JLG have been on the table awaiting a Chinese response for two or three years. However now we are holding these discussions we should be looking forward rather than back.

Governor's proposals were made in good faith. We deliberately took account of what We understood were the main Chinese concerns No UDHK on ExCo and no increase in directly elected seats.

Governor's proposals are of themselves inconsistent with the JD.

We should return to the path of

convergence.

REBUTTAL

: COOPERATE

: INCONSIS

3D.

Rebuttal

B.1

B.2

There is nothing in the JD with which the Governor's proposals could be inconsistent. The JD merely says that the SAR Legislative Council should be constituted by elections.

Convergence is not something for the British side to do alone. We have always believed that both sides attempted to converge on the basis the Joint Declaration then agreement and a smooth transfer would be possible.

if

of

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