181603Z
EXTRA COPY FOR HKD COMMENT:
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO
1294
OF 180409Z SEPTEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD, FROM AMBASSADOR
Constit Sept
p.a.
(Chins d'rension
MAB3 01216
Miss Wakey
(I've replied) e pa
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR PS/GH AND SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
UKREP JLG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY
FCO TELNO 732: CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES: SECRETARY OF STATE'S SPEAKING NOTE
1. THANK YOU FOR THESE EXPLANATIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE VERSION OF THE SPEAKING NOTE WHICH HAS BEEN PUT TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE THREE SMALL COMMENTS ON THE POINTS IN YOUR TELEGRAM.
2.
THE
YOUR PARAGRAPH 5. IT IS A MATTER OF JUDGEMENT, BUT I STILL DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE RIGHT FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SEEK A PERSONAL/PERSONAL ASSURANCE FROM QIAN ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY. SUBSTANCE OF THE MATTER IS NOT DEALT WITH BY THE FOREIGN MINISTRY BUT BY THE HKMO AND QIAN IS HARDLY IN A POSITION TO GIVE AN ASSURANCE, EVEN IF HE THOUGHT IT CONSISTENT WITH HIS DIGNITY TO DO SO. I WONDER HOW THE SECRETARY OF STATE HIMSELF WOULD REACT IF HE WAS ASKED FOR SUCH AN ASSURANCE ? AND WHAT DO WE DO IF THERE SHOULD BE A LEAK ?
3. OUR ALTERNATIVE WAS NOT MEANT TO BE MORE STARK THAN MENTIONING A SPECIFIC TIME LIMIT. THE POINT HERE IS THAT WE ARE ALREADY REDUCING THE CHANCES OF A SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION BY ANNOUNCING DETAILED PROPOSALS IN PUBLIC BEFORE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE CHINESE HAVE EFFECTIVELY BEGUN (I ACCEPT, OF COURSE, THAT THERE ARE GOOD POLITICAL REASONS FOR DOING SO, AND THAT MINISTERS HAVE SO DECIDED). WE WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR MANOEUVRE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS THEMSELVES. TO LAY DOWN A SPECIFIC TIME LIMIT FOR THEIR CONCLUSION IS A FURTHER PIECE OF 'PRESSURE' WHICH WILL RUB THE CHINESE THE WRONG WAY.
I TAKE YOUR POINT (PARAGRAPH 7) ABOUT NOT PUTTING UNNECESSARY EMPHASIS ON THE SIZE OF THE ELECTORATE IN THE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUTENCIES. BUT YOUR WORDING WAS PRETTY OBSCURE AND COULD LEAVE THE CHINESE IN A STATE OF PUZZLEMENT. WE DON'T WANT TO MISLEAD THEM, OR TO CAUSE QIAN TO QUESTION WHAT WAS MEANT.
MCLAREN
YYYY
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