TNAG-2769-FCO40-3986-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1994 — Page 227

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EFFORT BY THE PRC TO UNDERMINE IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH WILL HAVE TO ENACT THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION. HMG-HKG WILL GO NO FURTHER THAN THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT TO GO, BUT NOR WILL WE GO LESS FAR.

(III) WE ARE DISCUSSING THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994-95

ELECTIONS WITH THE PRC BECAUSE WE WANT THE 1995

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO SURVIVE THE 1997 TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY, I.E. WE WANT THOSE ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1995 TO REMAIN IN OFFICE UNTIL 1999. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO PERSUADE THE CHINESE SIDE TO SET OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR THE

'THROUGH TRAIN'.

(IV) THERE HAVE BEEN 11 ROUNDS OR ABOUT 100 HOURS OF TALKS DURING WHICH THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE SHOWN LITTLE FLEXIBILITY. WE HAVE MADE A GENUINE EFFORT TO ADDRESS WHAT WE UNDERSTAND TO BE THEIR TWO MAIN CONCERNS BY:

(A)

Annex!

(B)

(V)

INDICATING OUR WILLINGNESS TO CONSIDER A FOUR PART ELECTION COMMITTEE ALONG THE LINES OF THAT DESCRIBED IN ANNEX II TO THE BASIC LAW; AND BY

REVISING OUR PROPOSALS FOR THE NINE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE ALL BASED ON

ORGANISATIONS.

THERE HAS NOT BEEN A COMMENSURATE RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE SIDE. IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT THEY ARE NOT PREPARED TO COMMIT THEMSELVES IN ADVANCE TO THE OUTCOME OF THE 1994-95 ELECTIONS OR TO THE 'THROUGH TRAIN'. WE WANT OPEN AND FAIR ELECTIONS. THEY SEEM TO WANT ARRANGEMENTS WHICH DELIVER A PREDETERMINED AND COMFORTABLE RESULT.

3 =

ALL OF THESE POINTS COULD BE MADE TO TRUSTED EDITORS AND CORRESPONDENTS IN BOTH LONDON AND HONG KONG. AS FOR EXPOSING SOME OF THE MORE TENDENTIOUS CHINESE PROPOSALS TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD BE BEST DONE HERE. IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THIS IN LONDON WITHOUT LEAVING FINGERPRINTS. THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE MANAGED TO MINIMISE THEIR EXPOSURE DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS BUT WE BELIEVE THAT WE COULD ARRANGE FOR THE FOLLOWING POINTS TO BECOME THE SUBJECT OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES UNDER EITHER A

NEUTRAL OR A CHINESE APPELLATION.

(I)

MULTI-SEAT, SINGLE VOTE IN THE GEOGRAPHICAL

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