JH1AHN
CONFIDENTIAL
SIR Y K PAO'S CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER: 21 MARCH 1985
Essential Facts
1. Sir Y K Pao last called on the Prime Minister on 3 October
1985.
Basic Law
2.
invited was
Sir Y K Pa o
by the Chinese to become a
Vice-Chairman (one of 8) of the Basic
Basic Law Drafting Committee
(BLDC) in
June 1985. The BLDC has 59 members (23 from Hong Kong) and is chaired by Ji Pengfei, Director of State Council's of the BLDC Hong Kong and Macau Office. The Hong Kong members of
have established
in (BLCC) Basic Law Consultative Committee a
the territory. The BLCC
BLCC has 150 members from a wide cross
section of Hong Kong society, including 15 expatriates.
3.
We have welcomed the Chinese decision to consult Hong Kong
the Basic Law. The people in a wide basis the drafting of
on Chinese are trying to deal carefully with Hong Kong opinion but
the way
the appointment of the they engineered
seven office
holders of the BLCC against its constitution (probably with Sir Y K's cooperation) shook confidence in their willingness really
to consult the people of Hong Kong.
4. We understand the programme for the drafting of the Basic
Law to be:-
(a)
(b)
•
BLCC will collect views
Preliminary text will
be produced by the drafting committee in early 1988. This will be published in Hong Kong for further consultation by the BLCC;
Draft Basic Law for submission to the Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee will be produced in late 1988/early
1989. Draft then published in Hong Kong;
CONFIDENTIAL