Note
Not set.
See (34)+(35).
011/3
HKK
RECEIVED IN
5 DEC 1983
DESK ONE-
SECRET
Дая
Rach yet file
Thad
My Monstr. See
745112
tel No 1714
14471
FROM: R D CLIFT HKD
DATE: 2 DECEMBER 1983
32
CC: PS
PS/PUS
Mr Giffard
Mr Thomson FED
Mr Donald
PS/Mr Luce
INDEX
NO
KEJ
HONG KONG : DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE UP TO 1997
PROBLEM
A
1.
To respond to proposals in Hong Kong telno 1714 to make
institutions in Hong Kong more representative and to minimize the
opportunities for Chinese interference after 1997.
RECOMMENDATION
*
2. I recommend that the Governor's proposals should be accepted in principle, subject to two qualifications, and that he be authorised to draft a paper for the Executive Council. A draft telegram is
attached.
|OLO/I
B
BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT
3.
In April, the Governor sent us a draft paper outlining his initial ideas on increased popular participation in the Government (attch'd) of Hong Kong.
4. Hong Kong telno 1714 refines the Governor's previous ideas in
the light of the talks with the Chinese. He believes that the
internal strength of the Government structure will be a key element
in adding credibility to any guarantees for Hong Kong after 1997.
The ability of the system to command confidence in Hong Kong will
depend largely on the extent to which we can bring some of the
arrangements that we envisage into force before 1997.
5. The Governor's proposals can be summarized as follows:
(a) District Boards
ad
now being reviewed to see if they might by stages become entirely elected and in what areas they might
be given local executive power (paragraph 3);
(b) Regional Councils
review now in hand to see how the