TNAG-2730-FCO40-3936-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 47

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

PERSONAL FOR PS/MR.GOODLAD AND HUM, AUSS. PEKING:

PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR

UKREP JLG: PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY

FROM GOVERNOR

MIPT: HONG KONG: SIR HAL MILLER.

1.

FOLLOWING IS A POSSIBLE SPEAKING NOTE FOR THE AMBASSADOR:

BEGINS:

1.

I HAVE ASKED TO SEE YOU TO LET YOU KNOW OF PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON THE QUESTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. I ALSO WANTED TO SEE YOU BECAUSE WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDINGS WHICH MAY ARISE FROM THE UNOFFICIAL ACTIVITIES OF SOMEONE WHO SEEMS TO WISH TO ACT AS A MIDDLEMAN.

2.

BEFORE SAYING ANYTHING ELSE I WANT TO REAFFIRM THAT WE STAND BY OUR WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS ANY ASPECT OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN AN EFFORT TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US.

3.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE TO YOU A COMPENDIUM OF ALL PROPOSALS ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT RECEIVED BY THE GOVERNMENT SINCE THE GOVERNOR SET OUT HIS PROPOSALS IN OCTOBER. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTEND TO PUBLISH THIS COMPENDIUM AT THE TIME THEY PUT LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. IF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS ANY COMMENTS ON ANY OF THESE PROPOSALS, WE SHOULD WELCOME THEM.

4.

HOWEVER WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE MISLED BY UNOFFICIAL PERSONS CLAIMING TO SPEAK FOR US. FOLLOWING HIS VISIT TO CHINA, ABOUT WHICH NEITHER THE BRITISH NOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS WERE AWARE IN ADVANCE, SIR HAL MILLER SAW THE GOVERNOR ON 8 JANUARY AND GAVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIS MEETING WITH YOU. HE GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE INTENDED TO HAVE ANY FURTHER