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SECRET EGRET
26221
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DD 150100Z HONG KONG
GRS 985
SECRET
FUTURE EGRET
DESKBY 150100Z
FM FCO 141115Z JUN8 4
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1094 OF 14 JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
FOR GOVERNOR FROM CRADOCK
HKK
011/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 JUN 1984
IK OFFICER
No R
PA
YOUR TELNO 469 TO PEKING AND PEKING TELNOS 1094 AND 1110: FUTURE
EGRET: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
1.
AT AN OFFICE MEETING ON 13 JUNE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S
VIEW WAS THAT SECTIONS IN THE DRAFT GREEN PAPER ON THE METHOD OF
SELECTION AND POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE OMITTED
AND THAT THE PAPER SHOULD SIMPLY STATE THAT THE QUESTION
OF WHETHER CHANGES WERE REQUIRED TO THE GOVERNOR'S POSITION AFTER THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO EXCO AND LEGCO HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED WOULD BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER DATE. HE FELT THAT TO PRODUCE DETAILED PROPOSALS AT THIS STAGE WOULD JEOPARDISE THE LIKELIHOOD OF
REACHING AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN 1997, AND THAT WE SHOULD NEED TO ENSURE THAT ANY PROPOSALS THAT WERE MADE PUBLIC WERE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE.
2.
WE SHALL REVISE OUR PAPER FOR MINISTERS (WHO WILL NOW MEET ON 27 JUNE) TO EXPRESS THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S DOUBTS AND TO RECOMMEND THAT FURTHER CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO HOW WE
ENVISAGE THE GOVERNOR'S ROLE IN THE 1990'S. DEPENDING ON MINISTERS' VIEWS, THAT SHOULD ENABLE THE TRUNCATED GREEN PAPER TO BE CONSIDERED BY EXCO AND PUBLISHED IN EARLY JULY. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW BY 20 JUNE HOW YOU THINK THE DRAFT GREEN PAPER
SHOULD BE AMENDED. WE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD CAUSE LEAST CONFUSION TO REMOVE PARAGRAPHS 53-63 ALTOGETHER AND REPLACE THEM WITH A STATEMENT THAT THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR WILL NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE CHANGES PROPOSED BUT THAT NO
DECISION CAN BE TAKEN AT THIS STAGE ON SUBSTANCE OR TIMING.
SEE LITTLE POINT IN INCLUDING ODD PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING
WE
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SECRET EGRET