SECRET
Reference
Mr Clift
HKD
HONG KONG: EXISTING SYSTEMS, ACCEPTABILITY AND ELECTIONS
I should like to mention one possible point which it seams to me could occur in the coming sessions of the talks.
1.
2.
On the one hand the Chinese have stated the intention of maintaining 'existing systems' (except for British control, of course) and we emphasise the importance of retaining as much as possible of these
these 'systems'. On the other hand the Chinese have left open the possibility of some form of elections and we may wish to try to exploit this in order to persuade them to agree to an expansion of electoral powers
in Hong Kong which might ultimately provide a means whereby elected representatives could acknowledge the acceptability' of any settlement. Thus it seems to me that it would be wise
be wise not to emphasise the importance of retaining the existing systems in such a way as to appear to exclude an extension of Hong Kong's electoral system.
CODE 18-77
SS 8/78
16 December 1983
CC:
Mr Thomson, FED
Rcfchar
K C Walker
Asian Region
Research Department OAB 2/125 273 3502
SECRET