TNAG-2718-FCO40-3924-Hong-Kong-electoral-provisions-and-arrangements-1993 — Page 98

J

HKB 011/7

RECEIVED IN OSGISTRY

10 JUN 1903

SECRET

FROM:

PF Ricketts

DESK OFFICER

REGISTRY

Hong Kong Department

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

DATE:

3 June 1993

Mr Hum

CC:

Sir J Coles

PS/Mr Goodlad

Mr Fry, FED Mr Wye, RAD

Fulc

(42.

A

HONG KONG: TALKS WITH THE CHINESE ON ELECTORAL ISSUES: STRATEGY

Sir R McLaren has sent us a helpful teleletter looking at the timetable for future rounds up to the summer break and in September.

1.

2.

I believe that this needs to be considered alongside a possible timetable for developing our policy on the talks at this end. The fixed points here are that:

The only possible date for an OPD (K) before the Tokyo G7 Summit is 1 July. We have therefore pencilled this into ministerial diaries.

A visit by the Secretary of State to Peking would have to take place on 9 July, following the summit.

I

These dates in fact fit quite well in terms of getting into a more productive phase of negotiation before the summer break. submit a self-explanatory telegram seeking the views of the Governor and Sir R McLaren on how we might organise matters so as to make use of these opportunities. If this approach is acceptable, I would then submit to the Secretary of State recommending a letter to No 10 to pin-down an OPD (K) on 1 July and to offer to circulate a memorandum beforehand (cleared with the Governor) seeking Ministers' agreement to some new negotiating instructions for Sir R McLaren including authority to put forward changes to the Governor's proposals, within the carefully defined parameters discussed by the Governor with ExCo this week, and conditional on reaching an acceptable overall settlement.

14 Sorell

PF Ricketts

hum3.6strategy/MIN/NJH

SECRET