TNAG-2735-FCO40-3943-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 123

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 893

OF 021039Z JUNE 93

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

pa. Leglo (Ruiz)

123343 MDHIAN 308465

all Saudes con

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: REMARKS BY MR GOODLAD

1. THE PRESS TODAY (2 JUNE) ACCORDED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO MR GOODLAD'S MEETING WITH LEGCO MEMBERS YESTERDAY. MEDIA INTEREST WAS FOCUSED ON REMARKS PURPORTEDLY MADE BY HIM ON HOW LEGCO COULD

TAKE FORWARD ANY AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. ACCORDING TO MARTIN LEE (UDHK), MR GOODLAD HAD SAID THAT ANY AGREEMENT ON THE 1994/95 ARRANGEMENT WOULD TAKE THE FROM OF AN UNDERSTANDING, INSTEAD OF 'A CONTRACT OR A TREATY'. IF LEGCO WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING WITHIN

THE PARAMETERS OF JD AND BRITAIN'S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS.

FRED LI (MEETING POINT) SAID A 'MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING'

WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE AS IT OFFERED MORE ROOM FOR LEGCO TO MANOEUVRE. LI ALSO QUOTED MR GOODLAD AS SAYING HE BELIEVED THE UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO LEGCO.

2. THERE ARE CONFLICTING REPORTS ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF LEGCO AMENDING ANY UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. EMILY LAU SAID MR GOODLAD HAD NOT REPLIED TO THE QUESTION, WHILE BOTH MARTIN LEE AND FRED LI CLAIMED THAT MR GOODLAD HAD SAID BRITAIN WOULD DISCUSS WITH CHINA PROPOSED AMENDMENTS BY LEGCO IF THEY

WERE WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE JD.

3. IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES, THE GOVERNOR HAS TAKEN THE FOLLOWING LINE:

(I) ON WHETHER LEGCO CAN AMEND AN UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN

BRITAIN AND CHINA:

-

MR GOODLAD DID NOT SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT HAS BEEN

SAID BY THE BRITISH SIDE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS:

THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD NOT ACCEPT A SETTLEMENT WHICH IT DOES

NOT BELIEVE IS ACCEPTABLE TO LEGCO AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG:

AND

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