TNAG-2987-FCO40-3573-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 63

CONFIDENTIAL

p.a. Coacht Depth

Derph (24) (Chair)

M3 92/6 низ

054702

MDHOAN 1273

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 24010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 1425

OF 231231Z SEPTEMBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, AUS

PEKING TELNOS 116 AND 117 AND YOUR TELNO 2388: YOUR VISIT TO PEKING

I HAVE DISCUSSED TURS WITH MESSRS GALSWORTHY, SZE AND EHRMAN AND WITH THE DEPARTMENT. WE AGREE THAT THIS IS IRRITATING. IN PARTICULAR, BY INCREASING THE INTERVAL BETWEEN YOUR LEGCO SPEECH AND THE FACE-TO-FACE DISCUSSION OF YOUR PROPOSALS IN PEKING, IT LEAVES THE CHINESE WITH AN UNCOMFORTABLY LONG TIME TO BROOD ON THE IMPLICATIONS, AND TO WORK THEMSELVES UP INTO A STATE OVER THEM. THEY MAY BE DRAWN INTO PUBLIC EXPRESSIONS OF HOSTILITY, FROM WHICH IT WILL BE VERY HARD INDEED FOR THEM TO RESILE, BEFORE YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET AT THEM. THAT WOULD MAKE IT ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT TO HAVE A SENSIBLE DISCUSSION WITH THEM.

2. THERE IS PROBABLY NOT MUCH WE CAN DO TO LESSEN THESE RISKS. BUT WE THINK THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH MAKING WHAT USE WE CAN OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH QIAN AND YOUR PARALLEL MESSAGE TO LU PING. I SUGGEST THAT WE EXPAND THE PENULTIMATE TIRET OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S SPEAKING NOTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THE FOLLOWING LINES:

-

'THE GOVERNOR PLANS TO DISCUSS HIS PROPOSALS FULLY WITH THE CHINESE SIDE WHEN HE VISITS PEKING FROM 21-23 OCTOBER. AS YOU KNOW, HE HAD HOPED TO DO THIS SHORTLY AFTER HIS LEGCO SPEECH. THAT VISIT WILL NOW BE DELAYED AT YOUR REQUEST, BECAUSE OF THE PARTY CONGRESS. BUT I HOPE YOU WILL AWAIT YOUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR BEFORE REACHING CONCLUSIONS ABOUT WHAT HE IS PROPOSING'.

IF YOU AGREED, YOUR OWN MESSAGE TO LU PING MIGHT BE ADJUSTED SIMILARLY.

3.

HURD

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