布政司署
香港下亞厘里道
DI
DACTED
* OUR REF.: 38 in SGD 2/02/22 V
來函檔號 YOUR REF.:
Dr. J.E. Hoare,
Far Eastern Section,
Research Department, FCO
REOLIVUD
DI
Dear Jun,
72
GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
Barn Lo
M. 10710
12 December 1985
HKK 040/21
20 DLC 1935
ih
Hong Kong/PRC: Basic Law and "Democratic
Consultation"
136 Thank you for your letters of 8 and 12 November and for all the work you put into this research.
It is apparent from the evidence surrounding the establishment of the Basic Law Consultative Committee
(BLCC) that the Chinese envisage a process in which rivalries and conflicts are resolved behind the scenes rather than out in the open air, western style. This is already proving difficult to put over in Hong Kong: the manner in which the standing committee and office bearers of the BLCC were selected was subject to heavy criticism, resulting in the process being replayed with something more akin to a proper election. The same people were returned. This incident highlights the fact that it is the manner in which people are chosen which matters almost more than the result of the selection/election process.
In the end, of course, discussion about "democratic consultation" boils down to a question of the meaning of words. However successful the more recent efforts at democratic consultation in China may have been, the fact remains that these words, and others like "freedom" and "lawful rights" are generally believed in Hong Kong to have a very different (and looser) meaning on the Mainland.
Yours eve,
Richaal.
c.c.
(R. P. Margolis)
Deputy Political Adviser
J.N. Powell, Esq.,
Hong Kong Department, FCO
J. Ashton, Esq.,
Far Eastern Department, FCO
D.G. Blunt, Esq.,
H.M. Embassy, Peking.
RESTRICTED