TNAG-2912-FCO40-4187-International-support-from-Asia-regarding-the-future-of-Hong-1993 — Page 95

CONFIDENTIAL

034424

MDHIAN 7761

3. OVER LUNCH WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WENT INTO MORE DETAIL OVER THE THREE MAIN ISSUES FUNCTIONAL CONSISTENCIES, THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE THROUGH-TRAIN. HE COMMENTED THAT IT WAS NOT EASY FOR CHINA TO ARGUE FOR A NARROWER FRANCHISE AT A TIME

WHEN MORE AND MORE COUNTRIES WERE WIDENING THEIR DEMOCRATIC BASE. NOR WOULD IT BE EASY FOR THEM TO START IN 1997 BY THROWING ELECTED MEMBERS OFF LEGCO. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CRITICISM OF BRITISH POLICY BY SOME, SUCH AS LEE KUAN YEW. BUT HE STRESSED THAT HONG KONG WAS DIFFERENT FROM SINGAPORE: THERE WAS A REAL POLITICAL DIMENSION AND CHINA HAD TO ACCEPT THAT THEIR PHRASE OF TWO SYSTEMS IN ONE COUNTRY HAD TO BE MADE

TO WORK IN REALITY.

SEE MIFT FOR THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S REMARKS ON HONG KONG

IN HIS SPEECH TO THE SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF POLICY STUDIES.

4.

DUGGAN

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

79

MAIN

72

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

SEAD

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

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)

CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES

CAOFF//MR SIBSON

PS NO 10.

NNNN

PAGE

2

CONFIDENTIAL