CONFIDENTIAL
H/UB 0172/6 ние
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 06123OZ FCO
TELNO 2649
OF 061126Z NOVEMBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
pa. Clune
остере 026105
MDHIAN 6622
DEBATE BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS ON MY PROPOSALS
·
1 IT HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED THAT THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS WILL TODAY HOLD A DEBATE ON MY CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS.
2. IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE WILL FORMALLY DECLARE THAT THEY ARE CONTRARY TO THE BASIC LAW (IT IS THE PREROGATIVE OF THAT BODY TO INTERPRET THE BASIC LAW) AND POSSIBLY THAT ANYONE VOTING IN LEGCO FOR THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WILL BE UNABLE TO RIDE THE THROUGH-TRAIN. WE HAVE PREPARED CONTINGENCY STATEMENTS FOR THE THIS EVENTUALLY BY BOTH HKG AND WE SUGGEST O HMG. THESE ARE SET OUT BELOW. WE WILL OF COURSE NEED TO STUDY THE DETAILS OF WHAT EMERGES FROM THIS DEBATE BEFORE ISSUING THEM.
A. HKG RESPONSE TO AN NPC STATEMENT THAT THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS ARE CONTRARY TO THE BASIC LAW.
A) THE GOVERNOR HAS MADE PROPOSALS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS. BL IS SILENT ON THESE ARRANGEMENTS.
B) MADE IT CLEAR THESE ARE FOR DISCUSSION IN HONG KONG AND WITH CHINA, INCLUDING ANY POINTS WHERE CHINA CONSIDERS THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT WITH THE BASIC LAW.
C) MERE DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM WILL ACHIEVE NOTHING. THOSE WHO DO NOT LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS SHOULD PUT FORWARD SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVES, WHICH SHOULD BE AS FAIR AND OPEN AS THE GOVERNOR'S.
D) WE WELCOME THE FACT THAT AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE ON 23 OCTOBER, DIRECTOR LU PING ENDORSE THE THREE CRITERIA FOR ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSALS BY THE GOVERNOR, I.E. THEY SHOULD BE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE MAJORITY IN HONG KONG.
E) WE HOPE THERE CAN BE SERIOUS DISCUSSION ON THIS BASIS. NO
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