11149Z
ERRED TO HD/HKD FOR DISTRIBUTION ADVICE
YM/DAN 7323
HMLNAN 4791
ECRET
C
01120OZ
COLN
1 HOKON
COLN
:110OZ OC
PS 249
ECRET
! HONG KONG
O DESKBY 01120OZ FCO
ELNO 2427
= 0111OOZ OCTOBER 92
IFO DESKBY 02010OZ PEKING
IFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
ERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR.
EKING PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR.
<REP JLG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY.
ONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THE AMBASSADOR WILL BE SUMMONED SHORTLY
O BE TOLD THAT THE CHINESE DO NOT LIKE MY CONSTITUTIONAL ROPOSALS AND THAT I SHOULD NOT SPELL THEM OUT IN MY LEGCO ODRESS.
•
. IF SO, I HOPE THAT THREE POINTS CAN BE MADE:
A) THE CHINESE HAVE ASKED THAT MARTIN LEE SHOULD NOT BE PUT ON XCO AND HAVE SAID THAT THEY CANNOT AGREE TO MORE DIRECTLY LECTED SEATS IN LEGCO. BUT IT IS POLITICALLY QUITE UNREALISTIC O EXPECT THAT, IN ADDITION, I SHOULD REFUSE IN ANY OTHER WAY TO ATISFY THE WISHES OF MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, AS CONSISTENTLY XPRESSED IN POLLS, TO SEE REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS STEADILY EVELOPED. ALL THAT I WILL PROPOSE ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS IS OMPATIBLE WITH THE BASIC LAW.
3) THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF DEALING WITH LIBERAL POLITICIANS. ONE S TO AVOID CONFRONTING THEM HEAD ON AND TO MARGINALISE THEM. THE THER IS TO ATTACK THEM AND TURN THEM INTO MARTYRS. I AM IN NO OUBT THAT THE FIRST METHOD BRINGS GREATER POLITICAL STABILITY HAN THE SECOND.
(C) IN OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THE AIRPORT, THE CHINESE HAVE CONSISTENTLY TOLD US TO PUBLICISE OUR PROPOSALS AND LISTEN TO THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE HAVE DONE SO. IT WOULD BE QUITE INCONSISTENT TO EXPECT ME TO DO OTHERWISE ON CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES.
PATTEN
YYYY
HMLNAN 4791
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