CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 01100OZ F C O
TELNO 761
OF 010856Z JUNE 92
ADVANCE COPY
INFO DESKBY 01100OZ HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
053041
MDADAN 2822
POSSIBLE MEETING WITH LU PING: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1.
LU PING LIKELY TO RAISE MR GOODLAD'S RECENT REMARKS ABOUT PACE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IF HE AGREES TO SEE ME ON 2 JUNE. MAY ALSO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S MEETING WITH MARTIN LEE. LINES TO TAKE SUGGESTED. INSTRUCTIONS REQUESTED DESKBY 020030Z.
DETAIL
2.
AS I HAVE REPORTED IN A SEPARATE TELEGRAM I HAVE ASKED FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE LU PING TOMORROW, 2 JUNE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS CALL WILL BE TO PRESS FOR A FAVOURABLE RESPONSE TO OUR PROPOSAL FOR TALKS ON AIRPORT FINANCING BUT LU PING MAY WELL RAISE OTHER MATTERS. THE PACE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG SEEMS A LIKELY CANDIDATE IN THE LIGHT OF THE FUSS MADE BY THE LEFT WING HONG KONG PRESS ABOUT MR GOODLAD'S RECENT REMARKS ON THE SUBJECT, AND THE MFA SPOKESMAN'S STATEMENT ABOUT THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF AMENDING THE BASIC LAW BEFORE 1997 (MY TELNO 757).
3.
IF LU DOES RAISE THIS SUBJECT I PROPOSE, SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, TO REPLY THAT MR GOODLAD DID NOT SAY ANYTHING VERY NEW DURING HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG. THE LINE WHICH HE TOOK WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT MINISTERS HAVE SAID ON MANY OCCASIONS SINCE 1990, NAMELY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION, BUT THAT WE WISH TO PROMOTE THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG IN A WAY WHICH IS CAPABLE OF ENDURING BEYOND 1997. I MIGHT ADD THAT WE PLAN IN DUE COURSE TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE ALL OF THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE ORGANISATION OF THE 1995 ELECTIONS, NOT JUST THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS. WE WILL WANT IF POSSIBLE TO AGREE ON THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1995 SO AS TO ACHIEVE THE CONTINUITY TO WHICH BOTH SIDES ATTACH IMPORTANCE.
4. AS REGARDS THE POSSIBLE AMENDMENT OF THE BASIC LAW, IT WOULD BE
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