Mr Cortazzi
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P.S. Mr IBA
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HONG KONG: CIVIC ASSOCIATION'S LETTER TO MR BLAKER
Problem
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A
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1. To reply to a letter of 18 September to Mr Blaker from
Mr Hilton Cheong-Leen OBE, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Civic
Association. The letter was delivered to the Minister of State
during his recent visit to Hong Kong.
Recommendation
2. I recommend that Mr Blaker should reply to Mr Cheong-Leen
on the lines of the attached draft. M&VD and N&TD concur.
Background
3.
The Hong Kong Civic Association, which has branches through-
out Hong Kong, exists to help its members in their dealings with
government departments and other official bodies. It has no
particular political orientation, though it does sponsor
candidates for elections to the Urban Council. Mr Cheong-Leen,
as well as being the Association's Chairman and one of its
representatives on the Urban Council, was until recently also
a member of the Legislative Council.
4. The draft reply is self-explanatory on the first two topics
raised by Mr Cheong-Leen. On the third topic, the proposal for
extending the democratic powers of the Urban Council, I have
written to the Governor to ask his advice on the line Ministers
might take with the delegation of elected Urban Councillors
due here later this month. The Governor is likely to favour a
fairly negative line.
19 October 1979
патори
RJT McLaren
MARS. / Hong Kong and General Department
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