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KEEP THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN PRE-1997 HONG KONG TO A MINIMUM SEMI COLON BUT TO DO THAT WE SHALL NEED TO CONVINCE THEM THAT WE HAVE
NOT RENOUNCED RESPONSIBILITY ALTOGETHER.
6. ONE IDEA WHICH HAS BEEN CANVASSED HERE IS FOR A SYSTEM AKIN TO THAT IN OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES BEFORE INDEPENDENCE, WHEREBY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HEADED BY THE EQUIVALENT OF
A CHIEF MINISTER, WOULD HAVE AUTONOMY IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS, WHILE A GOVERNOR APPOINTED BY LONDON WOULD HAVE RESERVED POWERS COVERING FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND, IN EXTREMIS, INTERNAL SECURITY. THERE ARE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS ABOUT THIS, INCLUDING THE INVITATION WHICH IT WOULD BE SEEN TO GIVE THE CHINESE TO INSERT THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVE TO TAKE OVER THE GOVERNOR'S ROLE AFTER 1997. (ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEND ANYONE FROM THE MAINLAND TO RULE HONG KONG AND THIS SHOULD THEORETICALLY INHIBIT THEM FROM PUTTING ANYONE INTO A GUBERNATORIAL POST, THEY CAN BE EXPECTED TO HAVE A CENTRAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE OF SOME SORT IN THE SAR IN ANY CASE SEMI COLON PUBLIC OPINION WOULD BE LIKELY TO FEAR THAT HE WOULD STEP INTO THE GOVERNOR'S SHOES.)
7.
THE QUESTION THEREFORE IS WHETHER WE CAN DEVISE A SYSTEM INVOLVING A LOCAL MAN AS GOVERNOR BEFORE 1997 AND GET CHINESE ACQUIESCENCE FOR THIS WITHOUT GIVING THEM TOO OBVIOUS A SAY IN THE RUNNING OF HONG KONG IN THE TRANSITION. IT MAY BE THAT A JOINT GROUP, WITH VERY STRICTLY DEFINED TERMS OF REFERENCE, MIGHT GIVE THEM SUFFICIENT CONFIDENCE TO ACCEPT OUR PROPOSITION, IF THE GROUP WERE IN HONG KONG. WE MAY THEREFORE NEED TO WEIGH UP WHETHER THE ADVANTAGE OF CHINESE CONCURRENCE IN A SYSTEM OF LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, WITH THE BENEFITS WHICH THAT WOULD BRING IN TERMS OF POST 1997 CONTINUITY, WOULD MAKE SOME CONCESSION ON THE GROUP WORTHWHILE, ALWAYS ON CONDITION THAT IT WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A SATISFACTORY AND DETAİLED
AGREEMENT.
8.
I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AND THE AMBASSADOR'S VIEWS ON THIS COMPLEX QUESTION. WE INTEND TO PUT A FURTHER INTERNAL PAPER
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON 21 JUNE.
HOWE
DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HEAD HKD
HEAD FED
DR WILSON
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COPIES TO
MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
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SIR P CRADOCK
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