TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 196

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TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL. HE NOTED THE TALKS HAD BEEN PROGRESSING SMOOTHLY AND THAT HE WAS CONFIDENT THAT THE TALKS WOULD ACHIEVE RESULTS. HE WARNED IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR CHINA AND BRITAIN TO CO-OPERATE OVER ECONOMIC MATTERS AND MAINTAIN PROSPERITY IN HK IF THE TALKS DID NOT GO SMOOTHLY.

SIR PERCY CRADOCK

19. FORMER FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVISER TO THE PRIME MINISTER SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S STOPOVER IN HK WAS NOTED (25.5). SIR PERCY WAS QUOTED AS SAYING BRITAIN SHOULD NOT USE CONFRONTATION WITH CHINA TO FIGHT FOR MORE DEMOCRACY FOR HK. HE AGREED WITH NEGOTIATIONS CONDUCTED IN CONFIDENCE TO ENABLE BOTH SIDES TO BARGAIN. HE STRESSED, HOWEVER, HE WOULD NOT DISCUSS HK ISSUES DURING HIS PRIVATE VISIT TO CHINA. SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S INTERVIEW WITH ATV WAS REPORTED IN MANY PAPERS (26.5) WHICH PLAYED UP HIS REMARKS THAT BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS CHINA ON HK ISSUES HAD RECENTLY REVERTED FROM A TOUGH STAND ADOPTED LAST YEAR TO THE PREVIOUS APPROACH OF CO-OPERATION AND SOLVING PROBLEMS THROUGH CONFIDENTIAL BUT DIFFICULT TALKS. HE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THREE FACTORS HAD LET TO BRITAIN'S CHANGE TO A TOUGHER STAND LAST YEAR WHICH HE PERSONALLY DID NOT APPROVE: THE CHANGE OF THE GOVERNOR: DEMAND IN HK FOR GREATER DEMOCRACY POST-TIANANMEN: AND PRESSURE FROM PARLIAMENT AND THE MEDIA THAT A TOUGHER STAND WOULD YIELD BETTER RESULTS.

20. PAPERS NOTED (27.5) THE GOVERNOR REFUTED SIR PERCY'S REMARKS THAT BRITAIN HAD CHANGED ITS POLICY TOWARDS CHINA. THE GOVERNOR SAID BRITAIN'S POLICY TOWARDS HK REMAINED WHICH WAS TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THE JD.

ALASTAIR GOODLAD

21. FCO MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HK, MR ALASTAIR GOODLAD, SAID (31.5) THE STANCE OF BRITAIN REMAINED THE SAME I.E. THAT OF IMPLEMENTING THE JD AND MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HK. MR GOODLAD SAID (31.5) THE BRITISH WOULD APPROACH THE TALKS WITH PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE AND IN A POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE MANNER. HE ALSO SAID THAT ONCE AGREEMENTS WERE REACHED ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS, LEGCO AND THE PUBLIC WOULD BE INFORMED.

JLG 22.

IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUESTIONS (28.5), MR GUO FENGMIN SAID THE TWO SIDES HAD BEEN KEEPING IN CONTACT. HE HOPED THE JLG COULD MEET IN JUNE. WHEN AND WHERE THE MEETING SHOULD BE HELD

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