Аск
@ HWD or dift kply fou 5/5 by /29/12
BSSING Luce We Cittan Mb Donald
From Robert Adley MP
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SWIA OAA
coffee
FOREIGN
HK 20 DEC 1983
ALLOCATIONS ezerim
December
HKK 040/13.
RECEIVED IN ALGÍSTRY
29 DEL 1983
(10)
(69)
see 1, fi
IN
4
ĮREGISTRY
Action
Thank you very much for your letter of 14th December. I will make (64) sure Mr. Lau knows of your interest in his proposals.
There remains the vexed and almost insoluble question of how you consult the people of Hong Kong. In the absence of any democratically elected body and the impracticality of a referendum, we are all going to have to agree on what we deduce to be "the opinion of the people". Frankly, I have never yet found any method which can remotely be called a satisfactory way of consulting the people, and I imagine this was known to those who drafted the Queen's Speech. I cannot, personally, conceive of a situation where the British and Chinese Governments reach a conclusion: and then have to come back to Parliament a few weeks after that and say "Sorry, these proposals are not acceptable to the people of Hong Kong. We are going to have to reopen negotiations with the Chinese Government." The mind boggles at the prospect.
I was interested in your words "commanding the confidence of residents and investors in the Territory." Having spoken to Americans and Japanese who, between them, account for 75% of foreign investment in Hong Kong they seem quietly confident of the abilities of the Chinese and British Governments to reach a satisfactory agreement.
-
—
One of the key points I mentioned to you during our discussion concerned the reaction of the NCNA in Hong Kong to my question "Whether it would be acceptable to the Chinese Government if the people of Hong Kong sought to select/elect as, shall we say, the Director of Housing, an Englishman?" The answer I received as "If such a person is chosen by the Hong Kong people rather than appointed by the British authorities: and is eligible as a resident of Hong Kong under the 7 year rule: we would raise no objections to this." If that turns out to be the case it could, I believe, be a major stabilising factor in ensuring continuity of administration, if that is indeed one of the priority requirements. My own feeling is that most local people
in Hong Kong do not put the highest of priorities on maintaining Britons in senior administrative positions in Hong Kong, although this view would undoubtedly be challenged by the Hong Kong Government and probably by UMELCO.
•
12