108)
132
See (153
TOP COPY
SECRET FUTURE ECHECK
1011122424
1
DD PEKING 300100Z
GRS 232
SECRET
FUTURE EGRET
DESKBY
3001002
FM FCO 291700Z MAY 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELEGRAM NUMBER 556 OF 29 MAY
DES
Jay KEB
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG (PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR)
FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT (AND FOR AMBASSADOR)
FUTURE EGRET
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT
1.
YOU LEFT ME A COPY OF THE DRAFT GREEN PAPER. AT FIRST
SIGHT THE PROPOSALS IN THIS SEEM BROADLY ON THE LINES ALREADY
AGREED BY MINISTERS (FCO TELNO 548 REFERS). I AM SURE HOWEVER THAT MINISTERS WILL WISH TO CONSIDER THEM CAREFULLY GIVEN THE
RECENT INCREASE IN PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST AND THE CONSIDERABLE
CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES INVOLVED.
2. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU WOULD RECOMMEND THAT
THE PAPER SHOULD GO TO MINISTERS BEFORE OR AFTER IT IS CONSIDERED BY
EXCO. THERE ARE OBVIOUS ADVANTAGES IN CONSULTING
MINISTERS FIRST, AS WE DID ON THIS SAME SUBJECT EARLIER IN THE YEAR. THIS WOULD REDUCE ANY POSSIBLE DIFFICULTY THAT MIGHT ARISE
IF MINISTERS WERE NOW TO TAKE A DIFFERENT VIEW. IT WOULD ALSO
AVOID THE PROBLEM OF A GAP BETWEEN SUBMISSION TO EXCO AND
CONSIDERATION BY LEGCO. BUT WE SHOULD WELCOME YOUR ADVICE.
I CAN SEE THAT THERE WOULD BE ARGUMENTS FOR OBTAINING AN EXCO
VIEW EARLY ON.
3.
EITHER WAY, THE TIMETABLE IN ASPREY'S MINUTE OF 21 MAY
SEEMS OPTIMISTIC. IT MIGHT BE MORE REALISTIC TO THINK IN
TERMS OF TABLING IT IN LEGCO BY MID JULY.
4.
I WILL SEND ANY COMMENTS ON SUBSTANCE LATER THIS WEEK.
HOWE
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HEAD HKD
HEAD FED
MR WILSON
COPIES TO
SIR P CRADOCK
MR BURROWS
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LEGAL ADVISER