TNAG-2735-FCO40-3943-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 164

CONFIDENTIAL

HKB 012/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

6 MAY 1993

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 679

OF 040148Z MAY 93

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON, UKREP JEG HONG KONG

pa leglo

025040

MDHIAN 9462

48

WASHINGTON PLEASE PASS COPY TO GOVERNOR VISITING

1.

THERE WILL BE A DEBATE ON 12 MAY IN LEGCO ON THE FOLLOWING

MOTION : ''THIS COUNCIL URGES THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, ON BEHALF OF HONG KONG, TO ASK THE US GOVERNMENT TO RENEW THE MOST FAVOURED NATION STATUS FOR CHINA UNCONDITIONALLY, SO THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC INTEREST CAN BE SAFEGUARDED.'' THE PROPOSER OF

THE MOTION IS ALLEN LEE.

2.

THE UDHK SEE THIS AS A SECOND ATTEMPT BY ALLEN LEE AND

COMPANY TO EMBARRASS THEM ON MEN (FOLLOWING A SIMILAR LEGCO

DEBATE ON MFN LAST YEAR INITIATED BY THE CRC - OUR TELNO 1812 OF

6 JULY 1992 REFERS). THEY HAVE NOT YET DECIDED WHAT THEIR

POSITION SHOULD BE THIS TIME, AND WILL DO SO ONLY AFTER CAREFUL

CONSIDERATION.

3. WE PROPOSE THAT THE THREE OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO SHOULD SUPPORT THE MOTION. DURING THE DEBATE, WE WILL SAY, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS CONSISTENTLY LOBBIED FOR UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF MFN AND THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT HAS ALL ALONG BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HONG KONG'S POSITION AND HAS IN RECENT MONTHS EXPRESSED ITS SUPPORT TO THE US GOVERNMENT AT SEVERAL LEVELS, INCLUDING THE HIGHEST LEVEL. WE WILL ALSO SAY THAT, IF THE MOTION IS CARRIED, WE WILL CONVEY IT TO THE UK GOVERNMENT AND HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO CONVEY THEIR SUPPORT OF HONG KONG'S POSITION TO

THE US GOVERNMENT AS NECESSARY.

4.

GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.

FORD

YYYY