TNAG-2741-FCO40-3956-Ministerial-Committee-on-Hong-Kong-and-other-Dependent-Terri-1993 — Page 3

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 05130OZ FCO

TELNO 15

OF 051156Z JANUARY 93

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RECEDISIN JATTISTRY

-7 JAN 1992

055

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

025161

MDHIAN 4288

MIPT: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: EXCO

1. WE DID NOT MANAGE TO TAKE MATTERS MUCH FURTHER FORWARD IN EXCO TODAY.

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2. I SAID THAT THERE WERE 3 OPTIONS OPEN TO US: TO PUT MY PROPOSALS TO LEGCO MORE OR LESS IN THEIR EXISTING FORM AND TO EXERT EVERY EFFORT TO HAVE THEM PASSED IN THAT FORM, TO PUT MY EXISTING PROPOSALS MORE OR LESS AS THEY ARE TO LEGCO AND THEN TO LET THEM DECIDE, OR TO CHANGE MY PROPOSALS BEFORE PUTTING THEM TO LEGCO. I PREFERRED THE MIDDLE WAY. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALSO STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT LEGCO MUST TAKE THE FINAL DECISIONS. I DOUBTED IF IT WAS PRACTICAL TO AMEND MY PROPOSALS MUCH BEFORE THEY WENT TO LEGCO. THE LIBERALS, WHO AT THE MOMENT SUPPORTED THE PROPOSALS, WOULD CRITICISE THIS STRONGLY.

3.

I SAID THAT I

WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS AND WE COULD CERTAINLY SAY THINGS PRIVATELY TO CHINA. BUT WE HAD NO HINT SO FAR THAT THEY WERE WILLING TO ENGAGE IN SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS, DESPITE WHAT QIAN QICHEN TOLD ME DURING MY VISIT TO PEKING, UNLESS I FIRST WITHDREW MY PROPOSALS.

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OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL DID NOT COMMENT. WE WILL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY ON 12 JANUARY WHEN WE WILL START TO DISCUSS THE DRAFT LEGISLATION IN DETAIL. MY PRESENT ESTIMATE IS THAT THEY WILL AGREE THAT MY PROPOSALS SHOULD BE PUT TO LEGCO AS THEY STAND, WITH A SLIGHT MODIFICATION ON DISTRICT BOARD AND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ADVISERS (SEE BELOW). I THINK THAT IT WELL BE HARD FOR US TO PROPOSE ONE MAN ONE VOTE AT THIS STAGE, PARTLY BECAUSE THE UDHK HAVE NOW COME OUT AGAINST IT, AND PARTLY BECAUSE IT ONLY

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