CONFIDENTIAL
THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR
40 YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO. 276....
to show some sensitivity to Hong Kong's views. I t
is vital that the Basic Law accurately reflects the
Joint Declaration and that its stipulations in
in areas
where the Joint Declaration i s vague, such as
structure, are acceptable in Hong Kong.
The Basic Law i s for the Chinese to draft. Any
Government
suggestion
resented.
that
we havea
role would be strongly
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
6.
in
In November 1984 the Hong Kong Government
published a White Paper containing proposals for the
further development of representative Government
the territory. The aims of the proposals were to
develop progressively a system of government the authority for which is firmly rooted in Hong Kong,
which represents authoritatively the views of the
people of the territory and is more directly
accountable to the people of Hong Kong. The White
that constitutional
paper
of
further
proposed
the community for
development should be based on Hong Kong's existing institutions and also allowed, subject to the wishes
further development.
Publication of the White Paper was preceded by a two
month period of public consultation during which the
Government received a wide range of, mainly
favourable, comment on the aims
aims of the Paper. The need to preserve the prosperity and stability of the territory by ensuring that constitutional change
whilst
was progressive
was gradual,
widely recognised and the proposals were considered by many
realistic and practical
for framework
representative government at the
to be
a
development of
central level.
also
the
7.
The first elections to the Legislative Council
(LEGCO) took place on 26
September; they were
CONFIDENTIAL