SECRET
54)
37
A
C,D
Private Secretary
Issue
?
FROM: R J F Hoare HKD DATE: 13 February 1984
cc: PS/Mr Luce PS/PUS
Sir P Cradock
Mr Donald
Mr Thomson
FED
Mr Burrows Legal Adviser
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WORKING PAPER ON CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES.
Problem
1. Mr Coles's letter of 10 February recorded an amendment made by the Prime Minister to paragraph 4 of this working paper. However, the paragraph has been further amended as a result of a suggestion made by Peking.
Recommendation ́
2.
I recommend that the Private Secretary write to Mr Coles on the lines of the attached draft.
Background and Argument
B7) 3. Mr Clift's submission of 3 February noted that further comments
on the paper might be forthcoming from Hong Kong and Peking. We did indeed receive suggestions from both the Governor and the Ambassador, and managed to amend the paper before it was submitted to the Prime (36)
36 Minister to take account of the one point of real substance (ie the
inclusion of a new paragraph 11 referring to the election of members of the Executive and Legislative Councils).
E
D
4. The revised working paper attached takes account of all the other suggestions made by Peking and Hong Kong. These concerned points of detail rather than policy. However, one of Peking's suggestions was to expand paragraph 4 to reflect more closely what Yao Guang has actually said on this point and to include a specific reference to the Chief Executive. It is possible to incorporate the amendment made by the Prime Minister into the paragraph. No 10 should however be aware that the paragraph has been further amended since the Prime Minister saw it.
HKK.
011/3 147ED 1984
POSTEY jerton Taken
13 February 19 Subj
Ru
SECRET
Rahsforme
RJ F Hoare
Hong Kong Department