71) +
(72)
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OO HONG KONG
GRS 148
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 081026Z MAR 85
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 375 OF 8 MARCH
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
PACL
ми
YOUR TELNOS 469 AND 470 : AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL
INSTRUCTIONS
1. WE ARE CONTENT WITH THE LINE SUGGESTED IN PARA 2 OF FIRST
TUR. WE DOUBT WHETHER THE POWERS OF DISSOLUTION WILL BE
QUESTIONED HERE (WHERE THEY ARE NORMAL) UNLESS IT IS A REFLECTION
OF CRITICISM IN HONG KONG. IF THEY ARE, WE WOULD PROPOSE TO
SAY THAT THEY ARE A NORMAL PROVISION IN MANY CONSTITUTIONS.
WHILE THE NORM IS EXPECTED TO BE A THREE YEAR TERM OF OFFICE, AND THIS IS PROVIDED FOR IN THE INSTRUMENTS, IT IS DESIRABLE FOR
THERE TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY, TO ALLOW FOR AN EARLY DISSOLUTION
EITHER BECAUSE THE PROGRAMME OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN
NOW AND 1997 REQUIRES ELECTIONS OUTSIDE THE THREE-YEAR CYCLE OR
BECAUSE UNUSUAL POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES MAKE A REFERENCE TO
THE ELECTORATE DESIRABLE.
HOWE
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
LIMITED
HKD
COPIES TO
MR. FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS
FED
NEWS DEPT
SIR W HARDING
DR WILSON
1
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