TNAG-2987-FCO40-3573-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 96

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TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

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FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM HUM, AUSS

HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. THE SECRETARY OF STATE CONSIDERED OVERNIGHT OUR DRAFT OPD (K) MINUTE ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE HANDLING OF THESE ISSUES WITH THE CHINESE, BEGINNING WITH HIS MEETING WITH QIAN IN NEW YORK ON 25 SEPTEMBER. THERE ARE TWO POINTS ON WHICH HE HAS

EXPRESSED VIEWS AND I HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO SEEK YOUR REACTIONS.

2.

FIRST, THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS ASKED WHAT SCOPE THERE WILL BE FOR MODIFYING YOUR PROPOSALS ON THE 1995 LEGCO ELECTIONS FOLLOWING OUR CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE. HE PROPOSES THAT THE RELEVANT SENTENCE IN THE OPD (K) MINUTE SHOULD BE AMENDED TO STATE THAT WE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE PROPOSALS SUBSTANTIALLY ONCE YOU HAVE ANNOUNCED THEM. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE SECRETARY OF STATE YOUR OWN REACTION ON THIS POINT. CLEARLY IT IS A CENTRAL ONE IN TERMS OF THE APPROACH WE PROPOSE TO ADOPT AND ALSO HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WAY IN WHICH YOU PITCH YOUR PROPOSALS IN YOUR LEGCO ADDRESS. 3. THE SECOND POINT RELATES TO THE FORMAT OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH QIAN IN NEW YORK ON 25 SEPTEMBER. SECRETARY OF STATE HAS NOW GIVEN FULLER CONSIDERATION TO THE WAY IN WHICH HE SHOULD BRIEF QIAN ON YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL IDEAS, AND TO THE LINE-UP FOR THAT MEETING WHICH WOULD SERVE OUR PURPOSES BEST.

THE

4. FOR HIS MEETING WITH QIAN THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS DECIDED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP TO A MINIMUM THE NUMBER OF ACCOMPANYING OFFICIALS. HE HAS ASKED ME TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK TO BE WITH HIM BUT DOES NOT SEE ANY NEED FOR TONY GALSWORTHY OR OTHERS TO GO TO NEW YORK FROM HONG KONG.

5. THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S REASONING IS THAT HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAY A GREAT DEAL TO QIAN ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S PLANS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IN HONG KONG AND DOES NOT WISH TO GIVE THE CHINESE A CONTRARY IMPRESSION IN ADVANCE. IN HIS VIEW THE

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