GRS 230
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2908
SECRET
HKK 01/1
FRECANLO
LusikY
- 3 JAN 1986
А-
PA-011/1
(442
OF 30065OZ DECEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CESTRY
on Taken
AB3
MY TELNO 2893: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: CONVERGENCE WITH
THE BASIC LAW: AND THE 1987 REVIEW
1. MY THREE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEGRAMS CONTAIN THE DRAFT
OF A PAPER IN WHICH PART # DEALS WITH THE PRESENT STRUCTURE AND
POWERS OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG: PART 1 WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, CHINESE AND HONG KONG OPINION ON FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS, AND THE ISSUES LIKELY TO ARISE IN SEEKING CONVERGENCE BETWEEN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE BASIC LAW: AND
PART WITH THE OPTIONS FOR CHANGE WHICH WILL NEED TO BE
CONSIDERED IN THE 1987 REVIEW.
2. BY THEIR NATURE, PARTS 1 AND 111 CANNOT CONSTITUTE A BLUEPRINT.
NOT ENOUGH IS KNOWN ABOUT CHINESE IDEAS (THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO BLUEPRINT). OPINION IN HONG KONG IS STILL EVOLVING AND, EXCEPT ON THE QUESTION OF ELECTIONS, DEBATE IS UNSTRUCTURED. BUT THE PAPER SEEKS TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUES AND TO PRODUCE PRELIMINARY IDEAS ON
THE KIND OF DECISIONS WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED. IT PARALLELS THE
PAPER IN MY TELSNOS 2894 AND 2895 ON THE BASIC LAW.
3. SHALL BE DISCUSSING BOTH PAPERS WITH MY SENIOR ADVISERS ON FRDIAY 3 JANUARY. WE SHALL IN PARTICULAR CONSIDER A NUMBER OF THE JUDGEMENTS AND POSSIBLE POLICY POSITIONS IN IT WHICH ARE SQUARE
BRACKETED IN THE PAPER.
4. THEN PROPOSE TO SUBMIT BOTH PAPERS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SOME TIME IN JANUARY, NOT FOR DECISIONS OR FIRM RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT AS A PASIS FOR DISCUSSION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FURTHER WORK
TO BE DONE ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES. FOLLOWING THAT YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO PUT IT TO MINISTERS, AT LEAST TO SHOW THE
PRESENT STAGE OF OFFICIAL THINKING.
5. IF YOU OR THE AMBASSADOR IN PEKING HAVE ANY PRELIMINARY COMMENTS
# SHALL BE GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE THEM DESKBY 0301OOZ.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
RESEARCH D (FE)
D/HD PUSD
MR. WILSON
#
SCRE