TNAG-2762-FCO40-3979-Hong-Kong-Chinese-discrimination-against-UK-companies-Jardi-1993 — Page 62

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Dee Petr.

Matheson & Co., Ltd

3 Lombard Street

London EC3V 9AQ

17

нка 180/2

30 September 1993

is 1995

I enclose some abbreviated notes about my visit to Beijing. Most of what I have cut out simply refers to our business.

in

There is nothing worse than people who interfere negotiations, so I won't. You are surely considering whether there are any alternative tactics which would jolt the Chinese out of the rut in which the negotiations are stuck.

Is there any way of turning their insistence that we start by accepting their 'principles' against them? Can we, for instance, suggest that their principles could be acceptable if some of our own were added to balance them. One might think, for instance, of the principles of:

I

a fair, transparent and clean electoral system;

progressive expansion of the franchise for indirectly elected members of LEGCO;

continuity of service of all members of LEGCO elected in 1995 provided they accept the constitutional arrangements enshrined in the Basic Law.

A bit of an amateur effort, I fear. You have probably thought of it and rejected it already. But I don't see how we shall ever get movement without accepting their principles: and I don't see how we can accept their principles without adding some of our own.

Peter Ricketts, Esq.,

Hong Kong Department,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

CHARLES POWELL

REGISTERED OFFICE 3 LOMBARD STREET London EC3V 9AQ REGISTERED NUMBER 100295 ENGLAND