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NECESSARY TO FULFIL OUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG UP TO 1997. IT WOULD, HOWEVER, MEAN THAT THE SYSTEM OF LOCALLY GENERATED AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 WOULD NOT BE COMPLETE. THERE WOULD BE A MAJOR BREAK IN CONTINUITY AT THAT DATE. MOREOVER, THE ARRANGEMENT COULD APPEAR UNACCEPTABLY COLONIALIST AND MIGHT NOT MEET HONG KONG ASPIRATIONS.
8. OPTION (B) WOULD ENSURE THAT A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF LOCAL AUTONOMY WOULD BE ESTABLISHED BEFORE 1997, PROVIDING A MEANS OF ENSURING CONTINUITY ON AND AFTER THAT DATE. IT WOULD GO SOME WAY TO MEET THE DEMANDS IN HONG KONG FOR GREATER DEMOCRACY. IF THERE WERE NO TOP POST APPOINTED FROM OUTSIDE HONG KONG, IT WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CHINESE TO ARGUE THAT THEY SHOULD PUT THEIR OWN MAN IN AFTER 1997. BUT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR HMG TO EXERCISE THEIR AUTHORITY SHOULD THE NEED ARISE. ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNOR WOULD CONSTITUTIONALLY BE SUBJECT TO DIRECTION FROM LONDON IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO ACT AGAINST THE WISH OF
THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, WHO WOULD BY THEN BE INDIRECTLY ELECTED AND WHO WOULD THEMSELVES HAVE ELECTED THE GOVERNOR. MOREOVER, THE CHINESE MIGHT OBJECT. THEY WANT US TO RETAIN CONTROL IN HONG KONG UNTIL 1997 AND MIGHT SEE THIS AS AN INDICATION THAT WE WERE DIVESTING OURSELVES OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TERRITORY. THEY MIGHT ALSO THINK WE WERE GOING TOO FAR IN ALLOWING THE LOCAL PEOPLE TO CHOOSE SENIOR OFFICIALS.
9. UNDER OPTION (C) THERE WOULD IN EFFECT BE A CONSTITUTIONAL 'HEAD OF STATE' AND AN ELECTED PRIME MINISTER WHO WOULD RUN THE GOVERNMENT, CORRESPONDING TO BUT EXPANDING THE ROLE OF CHIEF SECRETARY. THERE MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT BE A SUBSIDIARY MINISTERIAL
SYSTEM BELOW THAT.
ADVANTAGES
(A) BRITAIN'S ABILITY TO DISCHARGE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR
HONG KONG IN AN EMERGENCY WOULD BE RETAINED.
(B) THERE WOULD BE AN ELECTED HEAD OF GOVERNMENT WHO COULD BECOME
THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE SAR AFTER 1997. PROVIDED THAT THE
CHINESE AGREED, THE POST OF GOVERNOR WOULD WITHER AWAY.
(C) IT SHOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE THAN AN ELECTED
GOVERNOR.
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