TNAG-2990-FCO40-3574-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 59

CONFIDENTIAL

P..

Chuna

augh

171257 MDHIAN 487902

TOD COPY

HRB 017/6Q DIST?

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

(AMENDED DISTRIBUTION 26/10/92)

TO DESKBY 261200Z FCO

TELNO 2565

OF 261015Z OCTOBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

FOR HUM, AUSS AND RICKETTS, HKD.

FROM GOVERNOR.

UKREP JLG FOR GALSWORTHY.

MIPT: ELECTION COMMITTEE.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF THE COMMENTARY TO BE RELEASED WITH THE

MESSAGES:

1.

BEGINS

IN RECENT DAYS, CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE REFERRED TO DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES BETWEEN BRITISH AND CHINESE MINISTERS IN EARLY 1990.

2.

DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS ARE NORMALLY CONFIDENTIAL. BUT, IN THE INTERESTS OF OPENNESS AND AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE CHINESE SIDE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS DECIDED THAT THESE MESSAGES SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. THEY MAKE PLAIN THE TRUE NATURE OF THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES IN 1990, AND IN PARTICULAR THAT THERE ARE NO UNDERSTANDINGS WHICH THE BRITISH SIDE HAVE BREACHED. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WERE KEPT FULLY BRIEFED AT THE TIME.

3. THE MESSAGES, THE TEXTS OF WHICH ARE ATTACHED ARE:

J

FIRST, A MESSAGE FROM MR DOUGLAS HURD TO MR QIAN QICHEN OF 18 JANUARY 1990. MR HURD EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT 20 DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1997 WOULD NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO COMMAND SUPPORT IN HONG KONG. HE ALSO STATED THAT IF ARRANGEMENTS FOR CONSTITUTING THE ELECTION COMMITTEE WERE OPENA ND FULLY REPRESENTATIVE, IT SHOULD BE INITIATED IN 1995 THROUGH

CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES. IN ADDITION, HE PRESSED FOR THE VOTING SYSTEM IN THE LEGISLATURE AFTER 1997 TO BE THE ONE TO WHICH HONG KONG WAS ACCUSTOMED.

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