CONFIDENTIAL
proposed that this review should take place in 1989. The
Governor now considers, and I agree, that it should be
brought forward to 1987, so that any changes could be
introduced in time for the 1988 elections. I am making
my views on this point clear to EXCO. EXCO have not yet
however been convinced of the need for this.
They will
discuss this point again on 13 November when they
consider the text of the White Paper. If they decide
that no date should be specified for the review, we will
have to say that the timing and scope of the review will
have to be further considered after the 1985 elections,
when it will anyway be necessary to decide whether there
should be any changes to the composition of LEGCO in the
1988 elections.
3. The effect of these changes in the White Paper will
be to accelerate the process of constitutional change and
thereby go some way to meeting the criticism that the
proposals in the Green Paper were too cautious.
In my
view the revised proposals are to be welcomed in
themselves as consistent with our objective of giving
Hong Kong a solidly-based structure of representative
government, capable of withstanding the transition to the
arrangements set out in the draft agreement for the
period after 1997. They should be generally well
received in Hong Kong. Those who have argued for the
early introduction of direct elections will be
disappointed, but may be mollified to some extent by the
increase in the number of members to be indirectly