CONFIDENTIAL
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021745
MDHOAN 2285
на
& LONG O
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE WELLINGTON
TELNO 59
OF 301157Z APRIL 93
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
INFO ROUTINE TOKYO
INFO ROUTINE SEOUL
3
D:
INDE
HKD 021/5
03 MA 1993
YOUR TELNO 147: HONG KONG BRIEFING FOR NEW
ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER
■
1 We welcome New Zealand's approach for briefing on Hong Kong issues and are grateful for their offer which we would like to take up
to put points across to the Chinese.
2.
G
On the first point, Hong Kong Department (HKD) are faxing to you a background paper on constitutional issues (prepared shortly before the latest talks with the Chinese) which you can hand over if you judge it would be useful. HKD are also faxing you unclassified briefing on a range of other Hong Kong issues which you can draw on as necessary You assume correctly that you should not air the issues explored in HKD's paper on internationalisation (your paragraph 5). On the talks now underway, you should draw on the following in briefing the New Zealanders:
1
Too
- Pleased that talks with the Chinese are now underway. A victory for common sense. First round was held from 22 to 24 April, second from 28 to 29 April, third to be 21 to 23 May. soon to draw any conclusions. Discussions still at the stage of setting out principles rather than tackling practicalities. Atmospherics were good. The Chinese have given us the impression that they have embarked on serious discussions. But they are still trying to renegotiate "principles", and have resisted getting down to discussing practical arrangements for the 1994/5 elections.
S
- We naturally want to see quick progress we and the Hong Kong Government need to have legislation in place in good time for the District Board Elections in 1994 and the Legislative Council elections in 1995. But there is a lot of difficult ground to
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CONFIDENTIAL
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