ON the front page of the South China Morning Post, April 7, you say: ''Governor Chris Patten last night made another impassioned plea for Beijing to begin early talks on his democracy proposals.'' Yes, another.
While almost everyone is eager for talks between the two sides to begin, Mr Patten's plea makes it almost impossible for China to accept, because he invariably asks for talks on ''my democratic proposals'' - the very thing that is preventing talks taking place.
If Mr Patten really does passionately wish to resume talks, he should offer to continue where Mr Douglas Hurd broke off in 1990.
On February 12, 1990, Mr Hurd wrote to the Chinese Government, ''I agree in principle with the arrangements which you propose for an Electoral Committee, which should be established in 1995. The precise details of how this should be done can be discussedbetween our two sides in due course.'' Surely Mr Hurd's promise is clear enough.
There is nothing in the promise to indicate that the details would be worked out unilaterally by the future Hongkong Governor.
It states clearly ''between our two sides''.