SECRET
MMB 012
pa.
Constit sempt
Si
123663
MDHIAN 7928
'SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 139
RECE
TRY
- 3 FEB 1593
TO DESKBY 01110DZ FCO
OF 010922Z FEBRUARY 93
AND TO DESKBY 01110OZ PEKING
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR. PEKING, PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR. UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PERSONAL FOR PAUL.
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: EXCO, 2 FEBRUARY.
TOP COPY Q DIST?
Plan Modifis
(Se later flo tels
лодим
84
>
47
50
1. ON 2 FEBRUARY EXCO WILL CONSIDER THE BILL TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS OTHER THAN THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION (WHICH THEY HAVE ALREADY AGREED).
2. I AM KEEN THAT THEY TAKE A DECISION THEN FOR SEVERAL REASONS:
(A) LEGCO WISH TO START THEIR OWN CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPOSALS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE KNOW THAT ALL OF THE INDEPENDENTS, FOR TACTICAL REASONS, WISH TO SEE MY PROPOSALS PUT IN UNAMENDED. THE COMMUNITY IS EXPECTING THIS, AS INDEED ARE THE CHINESE. TO DELAY FURTHER WILL ERODE CONFIDENCE AND GIVE AN IMPRESSION OF DRIFT. IF THERE WERE AMENDMENTS IN EXCO IT WOULD TAKE A CONSIDERABLE TIME FOR THE LAWYERS TO REDRAFT. DELAY WOULD INVOLVE PROBLEMS OF EXPLANATION AND HENCE SPECULATION.
(B) I IMAGINE THAT MINISTERS WOULD TAKE SOME CONVINCING OF THE NEED FOR CHANGE AT THIS STAGE.
(C) IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT A MEETING OF THE HONG KONG ADVISERS WITH LU PING AND ZHOU NAN IN GUANGZHOU FROM 5-7 FEBRUARY WILL BE USED BY THE CHINESE TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON US CONE OF THE SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION IS THE POSSIBLE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE). AS YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL EXCO MEMBERS EITHER WANT TO SEE CHANGE TO MY PROPOSAL ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE OR ARE TENDING IN THAT DIRECTION. STATEMENTS BY THE CHINESE AT THE END OF THIS WEEK ARE LIKELY FURTHER TO UNSETTLE THEM.
FOR ALL THESE REASONS I WANT TO BRING EXCO TO A DECISION ON 2
THIS IS A COPY
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
27.(1)
FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27 (1)
PAGE 1 SECRET
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