}
Council
at
(EXCO). The Executive Council advises the Governor on all
major issues of policy and, although technically the Governor has
the right to reject their advice, in practice he does not do so and
a decision on such issues is
taken during the Council meetings with
least majority support from the Council. In composition the
Executive Council is, with one or two exceptions, the same Council
which was in office during the negotiations on Hong Kong's future.
Some of its members, led by the Council's Senior Unofficial member,
Sir S Y Chung, visited London on a number of occasions for
discussions with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State, and
other Ministers in the FCO. The Council will expect an assurance of HMG's continuing commitment to Hong Kong, and be interested to hear
from Mr Renton HMG's view of the developing relationship with China,
particularly on Hong Kong matters, the work of the Joint Liaison
Group, and on any parliamentary trends of opinion likely to effect
Hong Kong's interests.
5.
The opening of the new Legislative Council (LEGCO) will focus attention on the development of representative government in Hong
Kong and on HMG's view of the likely outcome of the review in 1987.
There certainly will be questions on what attitude HMG will take
towards direct elections to LEGCO in 1988 and how far HMG believe
the process of creating fully elected LEGCO can be tak en before
1997. (The Joint Declaration provides for
provides for the Hong Kong SAR after
1997 to have an elected legislature.) There will be questions on
whether HMG would favour particular forms of development such as
creation of political parties or a ministerial system.
(No
conclusions on such issues will be reached until public opinion has
been consulted in the 1987 review.)
6.
There will also be interest in whether HMG will consult the
Chinese Government on the development of representative government:
and in the steps which will be
be taken to prevent a divergence between
the system which is evolving in Hong Kong and that which the Chinese
can be expected to write in to the Basic Law which will take effect
in 1997.
7.
The most immediately contentious issue, at least among a highly
vocal minority, will still be that of nationality. The feeling that