TNAG-2991-FCO40-3566-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 72

CONFIDENTIAL

HAB 017/2

py.

Constit. Derpt

Derpt (44)

130323

MDHIAN 8503

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 1908OOZ F C O

TELNO 1651

OF 190645Z JUNE 92

INFO DESKBY 190800Z PEKING

INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TOP COPY

Q DIST?

APPOINTMENTS TO EXCO: COMMENTS BY GUO FENGMIN

1.

ла

THE HONG KONG MEDIA TODAY (19 JUNE) GIVES PROMINENT COVERAGE TO REMARKS MADE YESTERDAY BY GUO FENGMIN, THE LEADER OF THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE JLG, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE JLG MEETING IN PEKING. ASKED ABOUT CHINA'S POSITION ON THE POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF UDHK TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, GUO SAID, ACCORDING TO THE XINHUA REPORT, THAT TO APPOINT TO EXCO THOSE OPPOSING THE BASIC LAW AND OPENLY ADVOCATING THE SUBVERSION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS NOT IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY. QUOTE THEREFORE WE ARE OPPOSED TO SUCH APPOINTMENT UNQUOTE. GALSWORTHY WAS ALSO WIDELY

QUOTED AS SAYING THAT APPOINTS TO EXCO WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE NEW GOVERNOR TO DECIDE. WE HAVE TAKEN THE SAME LINE HERE IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUERIES.

2.

LOCAL REACTION HAS BEEN PREDICTABLE. YEUNG SUM DESCRIBED

GUO'S REMARKS AS QUOTE A KIND OF INTERVENTION FROM THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE LOCAL AFFAIRS OF THE HKG UNQUOTE. EMILY LAU TOOK A SIMILAR LINE. SING TAO DAILY SAID THAT EXCO APPOINTMENTS

WERE ENTIRELY A MATTER FOR THE NEW GOVERNOR AND THAT CHINA HAD NO

REASON TO INTERVENE.

3.

GUO'S STATEMENT WILL MAKE IT MUCH HARDER FOR MR. PATTEN IN

CONSIDERING NEW APPOINTMENTS TO EXCO. WHETHER OR NOT HE DECIDES TO APPOINTMENT MEMBERS OF UDHK WILL NOW BE SEEN VERY MUCH IN THE

CONTEXT OF THIS PUBLIC STATEMENT OF CHINESE VIEWS.

4.

GUO WAS DOUBTLESS UNDER PRESSURE FROM QUESTIONING JOURNALISTS. NEVERTHELESS, DESPITE WHATEVER ALLOWANCES ONE MAKES FOR ANYONE PLACED IN THAT POSITION, HE HAS STEPPED WELL OVER THE MARK IN TERMS OF MAKING A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SENSITIVE PRE-1997 MATTER WHICH FALLS CLEARLY WITHIN THE SOLE COMPETENCE OF THE

PRESENT ADMINISTRATION. HIS PUBLIC COMMENTS COME PARTICULARLY BADLY FROM THE LEADER OF THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE JOINT LIAISON

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