TNAG-2991-FCO40-3566-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 113

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Constit. Skyst

CONFIDENTIAL

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MDHIAN 5870

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1458

OF 29100OZ MAY 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD.

POLICY ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FROM GOVERNOR.

1. AS YOUR WILL HAVE PICKED UP DURING YOUR VISIT, THERE IS A GROWING BELIEF, BOTH AMONG LOCAL POLITICAL GROUPS AND THE CHINESE, THAT FOLLOWING THE ARRIVAL OF MY SUCCESSOR HMG PLAN TO ADOPT A HARDER, POSSIBLY UNILATERAL, APPROACH ON THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN LEGCO IN 1995, AND ALSO TO APPOINT ÍMEMBERS OF THE UDHK TO EXCO.

2. IT SEEM THAT PEOPLE ARE IMAGINING CHANGES IN POLICY MORE

BECAUSE OF WHAT IS NOT BEING SAID (PERFECTLY NATURAL AT THIS STAGE) THAN BY WHAT IS BEING SAID. NEVERTHELESS, YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT BOTH ALLEN LEE AND VINCENT LO HAVE RETURNED FROM RECENT

VISITS TO LONDON WITH A STRONG IMPRESSION THAT DECISIONS ON CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE, AND IN PARTICULAR THAT THE UDHK WILL BE APPOINTED TO EXCO. PARTLY NO DOUBT IN ORDER TO FORESTALL CHANGES, ALLEN LEE SAID PUBLICLY AFTER HIS MEETING WITH MR. GOODLAD THAT HE AND THE CO-OPERATIVE RESOURCES CENTRE (CRC) WILL NOT SUPPORT AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1995 WITHOUT CHINESE AGREEMENT. JOURNALISTS HAVE TOLD US THAT, IN BACKGROUND BRIEFINGS FOLLOWING HIS VISIT TO LONDON. ALLEN LEE HAS SAID THAT HE BELIEVES CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO PUTTING UDHK MEMBERS ON EXCO (THIS POINT SHOULD BE PROTECTED: ALLEN LEE HAS NOT SAID THIS TO US DIRECT).

3.

HONG KONG POLITICIANS AND THE PRESS HAVE TENDED TO SEE PROOF

OF THIS ALLEGED NEW POLICY IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S RECEPTION OF MARTIN LEE AND IN MR. GOODLAD'S REMARK THAT THE BASIC LAW COULD BE CHANGED. THE FACT THAT MR. GOODLAD ALSO EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE THAT HMG ATTACHED TO CONTINUITY AFTER 1997 HAS BEEN GENERALLY IGNORED. THE CRC'S FEARS HAVE ALSO BEEN INCREASED BY MARTIN LEE'S BEHAVIOUR SINCE HIS RETURN FROM LONDON. HE HAS BEEN UNCHARACTERISTICALLY QUITE, REFUSING TO DIVULGE WHAT WAS SAID TO HIM BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND OTHERS ON THE GROUNDS OF

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