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11. ON 1 (A) IN YOUR TUR WE ENVISAGED THAT AFTER 1992 HMG'S POWERS WOULD BE CONFINED TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENCE: AND HMG WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED THE SAME HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY FOR HONG KONG AS THEY ARE ASKING THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT. IN ANY CASE BY 1992 FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO SEEK TO DIRECT THE GOVERNOR TO OVERRULE EXCO WOULD BE TO ASK HIM TO OVERRULE A COUNCIL ELECTED BY THE LEGISLATURE WHICH WOULD ITSELF HAVE BEEN ELECTED (ALBEIT BY INDIRECT ELECTION) THE S OF S COULD NOT THEREFORE EXERCISE SUCH A POWER ON ANY DOMESTIC ISSUE WITHOUT CAUSING A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS. THIS MIGHT NOT BE AN EASY STATE OF AFFAIRS FOR HMG BUT
THEY WOULD BE IN THAT POSITION FOR ONLY FIVE YEARS (SMI COLON) WE ARE ASKING THE CHINESE TO ACCEPT IT FOR FIFTY.
12. THE AMBASSADOR WILL COMMENT AS SOON
AS HONG KONG'S COMMENTS ARE AVAILABLE. HONG KONG PLEASE SEND THESE DESKBY PEKING 1305OOZ
EVANS
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MR WILSON
COPIES TO:- SIR P CRADOCK MR BURROWS
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