TNAG-2987-FCO40-3573-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 48

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CONFIDENTIAL

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124.

Conent.

(China)

077766

MDHOAN 1779

Q DIST? May 26 Мадель MAY

36

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 02010OZ PEKING

TELNO 778

OF 011804Z OCTOBER 92

INFO DESKBY 02010OZ HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR FROM RICKETTS, HKD HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR

UKRER JLG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY

MIPT: HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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FOLLOWING IS A FIRST DRAFT OF A SPEAKING NOTE FOR YOUR USE IN AN INSTRUCTED RESPONSE TO THE EXPECTED CHINESE DEMARCHE. THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY NEED AMENDMENT IN THE LIGHT OF THE PRECISE TERMS OF THE APPROACH FROM THE CHINESE, AND CLEARANCE WITH MINISTERS.

2. TEXT OF SPEAKING NOTE BEGINS:

MINISTERS HAVE CONSIDERED CAREFULLY THE POINTS MADE BY THE CHINESE SIDE. THEY ARE GRATEFUL THAT THIS DIALOGUE IS BEING PURSUED ON A CONFIDENTIAL BASIS

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY MADE CLEAR IN BRIEFING THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER THAT WE SOUGHT GOOD COOOPERATION BASED ON A FRANK DIALOGUE AND TRUST BETWEEN US. IT WAS IN THAT SPIRIT THAT WE GAVE THE CHINESE SIDE ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE TERMS OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH

- IT WOULD NOT BE REALISTIC TO EXPECT THE GOVERNOR TO DELAY HIS SPEECH OR TO OMIT HIS PROPOSALS ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS HIGH PUBLIC EXPECTATION IN HONG KONG THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL USE HIS SPEECH ON 7 OCTOBER TO SET OUT HIS CONCLUSIONS FOLLOWING THE WIDE CONSULTATIONS HE HAS HELD SINCE ARRIVING IN HONG KONG. THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE FREQUENTLY URGED US AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO PUBLICISE OUR PROPOSALS, FOR EXAMPLE ON THE AIRPORT, AND TO LISTEN TO THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT THE GOVERNOR WILL BE DOING WITH HIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS

- THE DECISIONS HE WILL BE ANNOUNCING ON THE COMPOSITION AND ROLE OF EXCO, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND LEGCO. REFLECT HIS AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S BEST JUDGEMENT OF WHAT IS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT AT THIS STAGE OF HONG KONG'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT. THESE CHANGES WILL NOT COMMIT THE FUTURE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND SARG WHO MIGHT REACH

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