GRS 1100
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 03075OZ SEP 84
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER NUMBER 2618 OF 3 SEPTEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
71
NIKK040/46
4SER 1934
FUTURE OF HONG KONG : ADMINISTRATION : TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY.
MIPT
To
FOLLOWING IS OUTLINE OF PROCEDURE OF ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
BEGINS:-
GENERAL APPROACH
1. IN ORDER TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AND IMPARTIAL AS POSSIBLE, THE
ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL ADOPT A PASSIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS ITS TASK.
IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, AS
OPPOSED TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, TO PUBLISH, PUBLICISE AND EXPLAIN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. FURTHERMORE, IT WILL BE THE TASK OF THE
GOVERNMENT, NOT THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, TO STIMULATE ARGUMENT ON
AND DISCUSSION OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND TO MAKE ANY SPECIAL
ARRANGEMENTS TO FACILITATE THE EXPRESSION OF VIEWS IN HONG KONG.
THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL NOT GO OUT TO CANVASS PUBLIC
OPINION, NOR WILL IT ESTABLISH SUB-OFFICES FOR THE COLLECTION OF
VIEWS.
2. THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE STATE THAT
VIEWS ARE TO BE EXPRESSED IN WRITING, EITHER DIRECTLY TO THE OFFICE, OR INDIRECTLY THROUGH WELL-ESTABLISHED AND FAMILIAR
CONSULTATIVE CHANNELS IN HONG KONG. THE GOVERNMENT WILL
THEREFORE ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS IN
WRITING DIRECTLY TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, AND IT WILL BE MADE CLEAR THAT THE OFFICE WILL NOT WISH TO RECEIVE VERBAL OPINIONS
OVER THE TELEPHONE OR FROM INDIVIDUALS IN PERSON. THOSE WHO DO
NOT WISH TO OR ARE UNABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS IN WRITING
WILL BE ADVISED TO MAKE THEM KNOWN THROUGH REPRESENTATIVE
BODIES SUCH AS UMELCO, DISTRICT BOARDS, OR OTHER ASSOCIATIONS TO WHICH THEY BELONG OR HAVE ACCESS, OR TO ONE OF THE 18
DISTRICT OFFICES. VIEWS THUS EXPRESSED WILL BE PASSED TO THE
ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
3. THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL NOT CARRY OUT OR COMMISSION
PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS, ALTHOUGH IT WILL TAKE NOTE OF THE
FINDINGS OF SUCH SURVEYS CARRIED OUT BY OTHERS IF THESE ARE
SENT TO IT OR PUBLICISED.
4. IT IS THE INTENTION THAT THE MAIN SUBMISSIONS TO THE
ASSESSMENT OFFICE SHOULD FORM PART OF THE PUBLISHED REPORT
OF THE OFFICE, PROBABLY AS ANNEXES TO THE REPORT. IT FOLLOWS
THAT SUBMISSIONS TO THE OFFICE WILL NOT NORMALLY BE TREATED AS CONFIDENTIAL. IT WILL, HOWEVER, BE NECESSARY TO MAKE
CONFIDENTIAL
ARRANGEMENTS,
TRY
Sa Taken