UK made mistake - Cradock
FORMER ambassador to Beijing Sir Percy Cradock yesterday urged the British Government to accept that a ''bad mistake'' had been made over democracy reforms, and to try to re-establish the co-operation with China that existed before 1992.
In an article in The Times responding to the decision of the National People's Congress (NPC) this week to scrap the present government structure after the 1997 handover, Sir Percy said Governor Chris Patten and his advisers had consistently misread China.
''They have taken an enormous gamble with the interests of Hong Kong people, which, as the latest news confirms, is not going to come off,'' he said.
The NPC decision was predictable but it removed any illusions on the part of the British and Hong Kong governments about Chinese intentions.
Sir Percy struck a familiar note against pushing ahead with democracy ''in disregard of Chinese opposition''.
''It must now be accepted that, after two years of improved democracy under the Patten reforms, the present legislature will be terminated and replaced by one elected under Chinese rules according to their reading of the Basic Law.
''Inevitably, it will be a less democratic and independent body and the cause of Hong Kong democracy will have suffered a permanent setback. Even on the Governor's terms the policy will be self-defeating,'' he said.
Sir Percy said although it was claimed that the reforms were necessary for the rule of law to be preserved, the reforms would not last and the rule of law depended on the Joint Declaration, which was itself under strain as a result of the ''British unilateral action''.
He added: ''The political damage is serious and largely unavoidable. But it can be contained and the overriding objective now must be to limit it as far as possible. Lines must be kept open to Beijing and co-operation pursued over the widest range of practical matters affecting Hong Kong.
''Agreements over issues such as the airport are still attainable. The territory will continue to flourish economically: it is now tightly bound to a booming south China.
''The network between Hong Kong and the mainland is still largely intact and China, in its own interest, will still prefer a relatively smooth transition.'' Sir Percy was British Ambassador to Beijing from 1978 to 1984 and the Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser from 1984 to 1992. He was closely involved in the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 and the 1991 Memorandum of Understanding over Chek Lap Kok airport.
