TNAG-2989-FCO40-3575-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 39

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067653

CONFIDENTIAL

не

MDHIAN 8580

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 201130Z FCO

TELNO 2743

OF 201048Z NOVEMBER 92

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

SINO-BRITISH EXCHANGES ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES: LEGCO QUESTION

BY THE HK EMILY LAU

1. HON EMILY LAU HAS SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR ORAL REPLY AT THE LEGCO SITTING ON 25 NOVEMBER:

QUOTE IN VIEW OF THE ESCALATING DIPLOMATIC ROW BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA OVER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED POLITICAL REFORMS, CULMINATING IN THE CHINESE VICE PREMIER'S QUERY ON 16 NOVEMBER 1992 ON THE NEED TO ADHERE TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, WILL THE ADMINISTRATION NOW GIVE A FULL AND FRANK DISCLOSURE OF THE RELEVANT EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS SINCE THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS ON 7 OCTOBER 1992 SO THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL NO LONGER BE KEPT IN THE DARK ON NEGOTIATIONS WHICH AFFECT THEIR FUTURE? UNQUOTE

(THIS QUESTION IS IN ESSENCE SIMILAR TO THE ONE MS LAU TRIED TO SUBMIT OUT OF TIME TO THE LAST LEGCO SITTING (18 NOVEMBER), BUT WAS RULED OUT BY THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT.)

2, SINCE THIS QUESTION CONCERNS THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS, WE WILL OF COURSE CONSULT THE GOVERNOR ON HIS RETURN. WE HAVE IN THE MEANTIME ATTEMPTED A FIRST DRAFT REPLY AS FOLLOWS:

QUOTE DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES BETWEEN TWO GOVERNMENTS ARE, BY CONVENTION CONFIDENTIAL. THIS IS A PRACTICE WELL RECOGNISED BY ALL COUNTRIES. HOWEVER, LET ME ASSURE HONOURABLE MEMBERS THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATING WITH THE CHINESE BEHIND THE BACKS OF HONG KONG OVER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS. THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE A POINT OF KEEPING THIS COUNCIL FULLY INFORMED ABOUT HIS PROPOSALS AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. HIS NEXT OPPORTUNITY WILL BE WHEN HE ANSWERS MEMBERS' QUESTIONS ON HIS RETURN FROM JAPAN ON 1 DECEMBER. UNQUOTE.

3. IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT SUPPLEMENTARIES WILL BE ASKED ON THE

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