GR CDC
SECRET
SECRET
DESKBY FOO 1309002
FM PIKING 1907502 JUN 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1147 OF 19 JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
HKCK ALGEIVEL IN REGT
12 JUL 1984
کی مال ان اصولی مالی
71
Mrs Flowak (101
Coby
161
Ало
!
YOUR TELKO 1094: FUTURE EGRET: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
1. THIS IS CERTAINLY A COMPLICATED QUESTION.
2. 1 TAKE IT THAT OUR AIMS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(A) TO REMAIN IN EFFECTIVE CHARGE OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997 SEMICOLON
(E) TO AVOID GIVING THE CHINESE ANY IMPRESSION OF THE ABDICATION
OF RESPONSIBILITY SEMICOLON
(C) TO CREATE STRUCTURES CAPABLE OF STANDING UP TO CHINESE
PRESSURE/EROSION AFTER 1997 SEMICOLON AND
(D) TO AVOID ANY SHARP BREAK IN RELATION TO STRUCTURES OR
PERSONNEL IN JUNE/JULY 1997.
3. IT SEEMS THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS TWO MAIN CONCERNS
ABOUT THE PROPOSAL FOR AN ELECTED GOVERNOR :
(A) THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT OPPOSE THE PROPOSAL, BOTH BECAUSE
THEY APPEAR TO PREFER JOINT SELECTION OF THE FIRST SAR CHIEF
EXECUTIVE AND BECAUSE THEY MIGHT SEE THE PROPOSAL AS AN ABDICATION
OF RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR PART. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MIGHT
NOT BE ABE EFFECTIVELY TO MAINTAIN THE PROPOSAL SEMICOLON AND
(B) THAT A LOCALLY ELECTED GOVERNOR MIGHT BE POLITICALLY
INHIBITED FROM RECOMMENDING OR TAKING STRONGACTION IN THE EVENT OF
UMREST BEFORE 1997.
4. I THINK WE ARE ALL AGREED THAT, TOGETHER WITH AN ELECTED EXCO
AND LEGCO, AN ELECTED GOVERNOR AFTER 1997 WOULD BE BEST FOR HONG
KONG. GIVEN OUR AIMS (SEE PARAGRAPH 2(C) AND (D) ABOVE WE SHOULD
AIM TO ESTABLISH SUCH A SYSTEM BEFORE 1997. I SUGGEST THAT
WE SHOULD THINK IN TERMS OF A TRIPLE APPROACH:
(A) TO AGREE TO THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, WITH STRICTLY DEFINED TERMS OF REFERENCE, BEING ESTABLISHED, IN A MANNER ALSO TO BE STRICTL
Y
DEFINED, IN HONG KONG. THIS WOULD NOT BE AN ENTIRELY NATURAL
TRADE-OFF FOR ACCEPTANCE OF OUR PROPOSAL ABOUT THE GOVERNOR.
BUT, AS YOU POINT OUT, IT MIGHT GIVE THE CHINESE SOME OF THE
CONFIDENCE THEY WILL NEED OF THEY ARE TO ACCEPT IT SEMICOLON
Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)
IN TERMS
OF THE OBJECTIVE IN PARAGRAPH 1(D) ABOVE THERE COULL DE POSITIVE
ADVANTAGE TO OURSELVES IN AGREEING TO THIS SEMICOLON AND WE
MUST LAY THE SPECTRE OF A NEW SET OF FACES WAITING IN THE WINGS.
SECRET
/ ACCEPTANCE