SECRET
Entér
Mr Giffard
PS/RUS
HKK 011/3
Secretary MKD
private Sect
Seen den Soff and
discussed 22/12
FROM: R D CLIFT, HKD
DATE: 21 December 1983
cc: PS/Mr Luce
Mr Donald
Mr Thomson, FED
Sir I Sinclair
Mr Burrows, Legal
Advisers
Hd/Planning Staff
see (5
HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL AND GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT
PROBLEM
1.
(a)
(b)
22/2
To produce proposals on constitutional and governmental
development in Hong Kong up to 1997, to form the paper
commissioned by Ministers as part of the review of
strategy on the future of Hong Kong;
To authorise the Governor to consult EXCO on the initial
stages of his plans for constitutional development.
RECOMMENDATION
2.
(a)
(b)
I recommend that:
The Secretary of State agree generally with the Governor's
proposals but ask him to take account in the paper of the need
to test the acceptability of any future arrangement for Hong
Kong; and also to examine the possibility of aiming more
specifically at direct elections in Hong Kong before 1997. A
draft telegram is attached.
The Governor be authorised to consult EXCO on the
establishment of a Regional Council for the New Territories
and for changes in the composition of the District Boards.
BACKGROUND
3. On 13 December OD(K) commissioned a paper on increasing the
scope of internal self-government in Hong Kong as part of the
material for the visit of EXCO Unofficials to London in January.
SECRET
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