TNAG-2987-FCO40-3573-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 88

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

0267

MDHOAN 0962

AS IT IS, WHILE TAKING YOUR POINTS ABOUT SHORTENING THE SENTENCES. THE DISTINCTION IN THE GOVERNOR'S PRESENTATION BETWEEN DECISIONS AND PROPOSALS IS A KEY ONE AND MAY NOT COME ACROSS CLEARLY TO THE CHINESE IN THE FORMULATION SUGGESTED IN YOUR PARA 5.

5.

ON YOUR PARA 6, MINISTERS ARE CONSCIOUS THAT THEY ARE RUNNING A CONSIDERABLE POLITICAL RISK BY BRIEFING THE CHINESE IN SUCH DETAIL SO FAR AHEAD OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. I THINK THAT THEY WILL ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO BRINGING THIS HOME CLEARLY TO QIAN. SEEKING HIS PERSONAL ASSURANCE SEEMS TO US TO BE A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF ACHIEVING THIS THAN THE MORE ANONYMOUS FORMULATIO YOU PROPOSE.

6.

ON YOUR PARA 16, THE TIME LIMIT IS A VITAL PART OF OUR STRATEGY, AND IT WILL BE ESSENTIAL FOR THE CHINESE TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEGOTIATIONS CANNOT CONTINUE INDEFINITELY. WE WOULD PREFER TO MAINTAIN OUR PREVIOUS FORMULATION. WE FIND YOUR ALTERNATIVE TO BE IF ANYTHING MORE STARK.

7

WE HAVE INCORPORATED SOME OF YOUR OTHER DRAFTING POINTS, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD PREFER NOT TO RUB IN SO CLEARLY HOW DRAMATIC THE CHANGE WILL BE ON FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

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