TNAG-2779-FCO40-3998-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 92

UNCLASSIFIED

050422

10

MDLIAN

CRADOCK WOULD BE MAKING A PRIVATE VISIT TO PEKING AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE VISIT COINCIDED WITH THE THIRD ROUND OF TALKS, HAD MADE ''FCO OFFICIALS UNEASY AND THE GOVERNOR ANGRY''. THEY BELIEVED THAT SIR PERCY'S VISIT WOULD MAKE THE CHINESE SIDE MISUNDERSTAND THE BRITISH STANCE ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE REPORT ALSO QUOTED SIR PERCY AS SAYING HIS VISIT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TALKS. NOR WOULD HE BE BRINGING MESSAGES FOR THE BRITISH SIDE.

GOVERNOR'S US TRIP

6. A PROMINENT COMMENTARY IN WEN WEI PO NOTED THAT THE INFORMATION CO-ORDINATOR HAD REFUTED AS NONSENSE THE TOO SENSITIVE NCNA HK OFFICIAL YUAN PENGNAN'S CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNOR IN HIS ATTEMPT TO PLAY THE INTERNATIONAL CAR COUR TELNO 725). THE COMMENTARY SAID NO MATTER WHAT ABUSIVE LANGUAGE MR HANSON USED, HE COULD NOT CONCEAL THE FACT THAT MR PATTEN HAD TRIED TO INTERNATIONALISE THE HONG KONG ISSUE. THIS WAS EVIDENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL AND ON THE SUBJECTIVE STANDARDS OF THE THROUGH TRAIN ARRANGEMENTS AND HIS DESCRIPTION OF HONG KONG AS AN INTERNATIONAL ASSET. MR PATTEN'S BID ONLY SHOWED THAT HE HAD FEW BARGAINING CHIPS LEFT. YUAN'S CLARIFICATION WAS ONLY AIMED AT UPHOLDING THE BASIS FOR THE THIRD ROUND OF TALKS AND WAS A PLEA ON MR PATTEN TO CHANGE HIS COURSE.

PATTEN

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

72

MAIN

65

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

7

PAGE 2 UNCLASSIFIED

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)

CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAOFF//MR SIBSON

NNNN

PS NO 10.