TNAG-2724-FCO40-3930-Hong-Kong-political-parties-United-Democrats-of-Hong-Kong-(U-1993 — Page 33

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Mr. Douglas Hurd-

British Foreign Secretary By fax: (44) 77-270-2833

Dear Foreign Secretary,

28th September, 1993

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For thighr vory Foreign Secretary Qian Qichen in New York because Hong Kong a

I am writing to you before your October 1 meeting with

citizens and the United Democrats of Hong Kong (UDHK) are extremely upset with what we view as the British Government's shifting bottom line on matters of vital importance to our future.

In the full year since Governor Patten's widely-praised policy speech, his electoral reform proposals in the form of a bill since last. March -- have still not been introduced to the Legislative Council, despite the fact that the Governor has frequently promised to do so and that the Council has already voted its support for the proposals on three separate occasions.

*

Indeed, the past year has seen a totai

a total failure by the British Government to make any, progress toward building up institutions that will allow for local self-government in line with the Joint Declaration. Since April of this year, twelve rounds of negotiations, an Hong Kong's local elections have been conducted in secrecy in Beijing with as both sides have admitted little or no prógrass.

This lack of any headway whatsoever on political reform is particularly alarming and unacceptable because with fewer than four years before the transfer of sovereignty, Hong Kong is approaching a constitutional and political crisis. It is no surprise then that the confidence of the Hong Kong people in the British Government has plummeted.

Yesterday's report that the British Government is ready to make any concession China demands so long as it can proclaim that the through train has been secured did not help matters. Taken ..together with reports of major concessions already made in the ninth round of Sino-British negotiations, it is now widely

· suspected' in Hong Kong that the British Government does not have the backbone to follow through. on its moral and political obligations to us and is on the brink of a total capitulation to Baijing. ·

The United Democrats of Hong Kong and the community we represent are shocked and outraged at the senselessness of making further and further concessions to the Chinese Government at the expense of our future and we call on you as Foreign Minister to take the following steps:

704A Admiralty Centre, Tower I, 18 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong. Tel.: 529-0864 Fax: 861-2829

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