TNAG-2746-FCO40-3961-Visits-by-Chris-Patten--Governor-of-Hong-Kong--to-the-UK-1993 — Page 71

SECRET

3.

Deadlines for ending the talks. The proposes (on the Governor's advice:

OPD (K) paper

para 15) that

8 December is a firm deadline beyond which we would need to introduce legislation into LegCo. Is that robust? Would the community in Hong Kong accept a decision to proceed unilaterally then if no agreement had been reached? How severe would the Chinese reaction be?

Presentation of the outcome of the talks. It would be important to minimise the impression of a climb-down. Reactions in Hong Kong are likely to drive the response at Westminster. Revisions to the Election Committee proposal are unlikely to evoke much interest. Criticism is likely to focus on the extent of the fall in the headline figure for the Functional Constituency electorate from the present 2.7 million. What are the prospects for persuading the United Democrats to mute their opposition?

The only other subject which the Secretary of State might wish to discuss with the Governor is the handling of the HMOCS problem. We are submitting separately advice that the Secretary of State should try to speak to the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary in the margins of Cabinet to say that we have, at Treasury request, held the issue back from OPD(K), and express the hope that Treasury Ministers will crack the whip with their officials to ensure that differences can be sorted out quickly in bilateral discussions.

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SECRET