TNAG-2990-FCO40-3574-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 104

CONFIDENTIAL

Message from

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs (18 January 1998)

his

The Governor of Hong

visit of last week to Beijing.

valuable

in

Kong has reported to me on I believe that this was

that both sides were able to' increase

understanding of the other's views,

question of

particularly on the

Subsequently,

political development.

Embassy.

Sir

Alan Donald

the

Chinese Foreign Ministry transmitted further proposals to

the British

told has

your

colleagues that I appreciated the positive spirit in which these were put forward and that I recognised that they

previous proposals on

represented

advance an

an

understanding

on

from

the

Chinese side. He also told you that I wished if possible

to reach

of the the development

political structure before and after 1997. I should like you to be quite clear about this.

2.

I have considered carefully your suggestion that we should restrict the number of directly elected seats in 1991 to 15, in return for which you would allow for 20 directly elected seats (one-third) in a legislature of 60 which would thereafter increase to 40 per cent in

1999 and 50 per cent in 2993.

in 1997,

3.

including

It was brought home to me very clearly during my visit to Hong Kong that there is overwhelming pressure in Hong Kong from most sectors of the public, significant sections of the business community, for the introduction of 20 directly elected seats in 1991.

impressed on me that

failure

It was

to do so would risk severe

damage to British authority in the territory in the period

before 1997.

CONFIDENTIAL

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