CONFIDENTIAL
BRITISH-GERMAN SUMMIT, 25 NOVEMBER
HONG KONG ISSUES
Background
Chancellor Kohl will visit China from 14 to 22 November, returning to Europe via Hong Kong and a call on the Governor.
1.
2. The OPD (K) meeting on 10 November took stock of the talks with China. There have been fifteen rounds of talks so far (the sixteenth is due on 19-20 November). There had been some signs of progress, opening up the prospect of an interim agreement which, if achieved by early December, should enable the Governor to introduce legislation on arrangements for the District Board and Municipal Council elections and allow a little more time to tackle the remaining issues on the LegCo elections, where there are still significant differences of view (notably on the "through train") between the two sides.
3.
It was agreed at OPD (K) that we should brief friends and allies who have forthcoming contacts with the Chinese leadership so that they can press for a sensible Chinese approach. The Chancellor is the first partner to have high level contact with China. PS/No 10 briefed Herr Bitterlich of the Chancellor's office on the latest developments including our call for negotiations to move into a more intensive phase and requested that the Chancellor register Germany's interest, as an economic partner of Hong Kong, in the "one country, two systems" approach and a successful outcome to the talks. The Governor sent a personal message to the Chancellor on the way ahead as he sees it.
ptm.german.NAT
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CONFIDENTIAL
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