TNAG-2734-FCO40-3942-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 141

Confidential

Draft

as at evening 4 Mard

DRAFT STATEMENT TO LEGCO

(in the event of no substantive PRC response on talks)

I have an announcement to make this afternoon to fulfil my

promise to Honourable Members to keep them informed of

progress on constitutional development issues. Honourable Members will have heard a number of statements made by senior

Chinese officials in the last few days and I think it is

incumbent on me to set out the position as we see it.

2.

As Honourable Members will know, diplomatic contacts have

taken place in recent weeks in Peking. Our aim has been to

explore whether a firm and productive basis could be found for

the two sides to enter formal talks on the arrangements for

the 1994/95 elections. In announcing last week that the Bill

embodying those arrangements would not be published on 26

February, the Government promised to set out the reasons for

the delay. I would like to explain to Honourable Members this

afternoon where we now stand.

3. Since my policy Address last October, we have made clear

that we are ready to talk at any time and without pre-conditions in an effort to reach an understanding with the Chinese side on these electoral arrangements. This Council is

already examining the Boundaries and Election Commission Bill.

ExCo endorsed on 2 February draft legislation embodying the

remainder of the constitutional proposals I made on 7 October.

So there is no mystery about what that draft legislation contains. We passed a copy of it to the Chinese side on 6

February. At the same time we repeated formally our

willingness to talk at any time without pre-conditions;

explained to the Chinese side that the Bill was ready for

gazetting.

and

4. We received a prompt and encouraging response on the principle of talks from the Chinese side. To help ensure that

talks got off to the best possible start, I therefore

Confidential.