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7. ALSO NEED TO CONSIDER POSSIBLE CHANGES IN RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, ESPECIALLY POSSIBLITY OF A
MINISTERIAL SYSTEM.
3. LAST KEY ISSUE IS THE POSITION OF GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT OF
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNTIL.
PUBLIC REACTIONS
9. WIDE SPECTRUM OF OPINION AMONG ARTICULATE GROUPS, E.G. LEGAL, PRESS AND SOME PRESSURE GROUPS, FAVOUR SUBSTANTIAL MEASURE OF
DIRECT ELECTION. SOME FAVOUR WHOLLY DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO.
SMALL BUT POWERFUL GROUP OF BUSINESSMEN OPPOSE DIRECT ELECTIONS.
10 SOME SUPPORT, INCLUDING AMONG PRESENT UNOFFICIALS, FOR
MINISTERIAL SYSTEM, BUT THIS AND OTHER KEY ISSUES NOT YET EXTENSIVELY DEBATED. WIDESPREAD BELIEF THAT ADVERSARIAL POLITICS
AND PARTY SYSTEM LIKELY TO BE BOTH HARMFUL TO HONG KONG AND
UNACCEPTABLE TO CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
+
11. CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS MAINTAINED NEUTRAL INC OBLIGATION**
STANCE TOWARDS REFORMS. FORMAL POSITION IS THAT FUTURE STRUCTURE
OF GOVERNMENT IS FOR BASIC LAW TO DETERMINE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
WARNINGS BY LOCAL PRC REPRESENTATIVES DESIGNED TO DISCOURAGE
HMG/HKG FROM GOING TOO FAR TOO FAST, AND TO DISCOURAGE LOCAL
POPULATION FROM ASKING FOR TOO MUCH.
12. HOWEVER, SOME SIGNS THAT LOCAL PRC REPRESENTATIVES APPRECIATE
THAT HMG/HKG REFORMS AND EVOLUTION OF BASIC LAW CANNOT BE
PURSUED IN WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS. REAMINS TO BE SEEN HOW
COMMUNICATION WILL BE ESTABLISHED, AND HOW FAR THE CHINESE MAY
BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT AS A FAIT ACCOMPLI CHANGES ALREADY MADE.
YOUDE
LIMITED,
HICD
FED
Wilso
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