TNAG-2769-FCO40-3986-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1994 — Page 74

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under British sovereignty had not been agreed, presumably because they were extremely difficult. According to independent legal advisers giving evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, our plans are wholly consistent with Britain's agreements and understandings with China. In over 160 hours of talks with Peking, we have offered conditionally to change our proposals but have seen no similar offer of concession or accommodation from the other side of the table. Now, with time running out and the first of a three part series of elections less than a year away, we have introduced legislation to deal with the least contentious parts of our plan. Despite Chinese hostility to a course of action which they know is necessary to meet the legislative timetable, we still want to continue

negotiating about the more awkward items of the electoral arrangements on which, alas, no progress has been made in seven months of negotiation.

8.

in

Through a year of harsh statements from Peking, the majority of people in Hong Kong have remained calm and supportive of our approach. And opinion in Britain Parliament and outside it - has remained largely supportive, too. But some criticisms have been raised, as you would expect in an open and free society Britain and Hong Kong. directly.

9.

both in

Let me try to deal with them

First, there are those who argue that somehow our difficulties with China all coincided with the arrival of the author as Governor of Hong Kong. I acknowledge that I have a vested interest here, but have to beg to differ. It is no criticism at all of my predecessor to point out that the logjam of issues in the Joint Liaison Group and the difficulties over Hong Kong's new airport, pre-dated my hat-less debarkation.