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6. CONSULT US ON YOUR FUTURE INTENTIONS
NO DEFINITE PLANS AT THIS STAGE FOR FURTHER CHANGES PENDING 1987 REVIEW. BUT WOULD BE INTERESTED TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS ON POST-1997
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES. WILLING TO HAVE A DIALOGUE ON YOUR ANXIETIES, BUT BETTER OUTSIDE JLG FOR THE MOMENT.
7. WHY OUTSIDE JLG?
NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT FRAMEWORK FOR SUCH DISCUSSIONS. CHINESE
SIDE KNOW AS WELL AS WE DO HONG KONG SENSITIVITIES ABOUT JLG.
FORMAL DISCUSSION WOULD GIVE SUBJECT A HIGH PUBLIC PROFILE. MANY
WOULD SAY JLG BECOMING DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN ADMINISTERING HONG
KONG BEFORE 1997 OR EXERCISING SUPERVISORY ROLE OVER THAT
ADMINISTRATION. WOULD REVIVE ALL PUBLIC WORRIES ABOUT JLG: TOO
EARLY TO GET INTO FORMAL EXCHANGE ON ISSUES OF THIS COMPLEXITY
AND SENSITIVITY TO BOTH SIDES.
8. WHAT KIND OF INFORMAL DIALOGUE?
(OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS) FOR DISCUSSION IN HONG KONG (CLOSE SQUARE
BRACKETS)
9. YOU SHOULD NOT PREEMPT BASIC LAW
ACCEPT ACTUAL DRAFTING OF BASIC LAW IS MATTER FOR CHINESE
GOVERNMENT. BUT IF CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD SHARE WITH US THEIR IDEAS ON WHAT MIGHT GO INTO THE BASIC LAW ON THIS SUBJECT, WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO DISCUSS THEM WITH THEM, AND ALSO TO CONSIDER, AND WHERE NECESSARY, DISCUSS WITH THEM, ANY RELATIONSHIP THERE MIGHT BE BETWEEN THEIR IDEAS AND ANYTHING WHICH WE MIGHT DO IN
HONG KONG IN PURSUANCE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO ADMINISTER THE
TERRITORY WITH THE OBJECT OF MAINTAINING ITS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
AND STABILITY.
10. 1987 GREEN PAPER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PREDICT PROVISIONS OF
BASIC LAW AND SHOULD BE CANCELLED/POSTPONED
OUT OF THE QUESTION. KE SAID AT PREVIOUS MEETING IF BOTH SIDES
'REALISTIC' JLG WILL SUCCEED. THIS UNREALISTIC. HKG AND UK
MINISTERS IN PARLIAMENT PUBLICLY COMMITTED TO REVIEW. HAVE
ASSURED YOU THAT ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE WITHIN FRAMEWORK
OF JOINT DECLARATION AND ARE HAPPY TO LISTEN TO YOUR VIEWS ON
POST-1997 GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE.
(OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS) IF NECESSARY (CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS)
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CONFIDENTIAL