CONFIDENTIAL
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121
Flag A
Flag B
122
Flag C
Mr Cortazzi
PS/Lord Goronwy-Robert
See 129
BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS HONG KONG IN THE 1980s
HISK 040/1
RACERDO ILI RELIOS7
30 NOVIDES
Des INDEX
129
51
No: 02
1. In approving your submission of 9 November, Lord Goronwy-Roberts commented: "It the outline draft7 could be explosive if it leaked, and I should like to be assured that the Hong Kong end understands this (Mr Jones' minute of 14 November).
2. The 1997 problem has become a fairly common subject of discussion in Hong Kong and there have been a number of speculative articles in the Hong Kong and UK press. Some of these have been quite well informed; I attach a copy of an article by Dick Wilson which appeared in Financial Times on 8 November. That said, I am sure that the Governor understands as well as anyone that any leaks about our studies or intentions could do great damage, and I know that the papers are being dealt with on a very strict "need to know" basis in Hong Kong. I have nevertheless passed on the Minister of State's comment in sending him a copy of the approved outline paper.
The
3. Lord Goronwy-Roberts also commented that he hoped the substantive draft of the paper could pay more attention to the prospect for greater elective democracy (Mr Jones' minute of Flag D 15 November). The Minister of State's point is well taken.
outline draft included among the objectives which any British Government would probably wish to promote in the 1980s: "giving people in Hong Kong a more effective voice in the way the territory is run". This was intended to cover such things as the possibility of increasing the elective element of the Urban Council and, perhaps, introducing elected members into the Legislative Council.
123
20 November 1978
Copies to:
Mr Murray
Mr Samuel FED
Lunch
R J T McLaren
Hong Kong and đèneral Department
24/11 Gorenvy - Roberta
CONFIDENTIAL
Han College,
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