JH1AHF
CONFIDENTIAL
SIR Y K PAO'S CHEVENING WEEKEND
15-16 MARCH 1986
I.
HONG KONG:
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
Points to Make
1.
Fully conscious of need to avoid any threat to stability in
connection with
future constitutional development.
Moving
cautiously and prudently for that reason.
2.
review.
3.
No preconceived ideas about what should come out of 1987
Important to allow 1984 reforms to settle down.
But 1987 review must take place, and must be a serious
review. Would be dangerous to our authority if we appeared to brush aside public opinion in Hong Kong. We cannot simply avoid points
(eg direct elections) which may be controversial. Ou r concern i s
respond to the wishes and concerns of Hong Kong people
careful way, SO as to fulfil
to
in a
measured
ou r responsibility for maintaining stability and prosperity in the territory until 1997.
4.
,
Have accepted need for convergence with Chinese plans in
Basic Law.
Have told Chinese we want to engage in thorough,
informal dialogue between the two sides to secure this. Start made wi th visits to Hong Kong by Ji Pengfei, Lu Ping, and to Peking by Mr Renton, Sir W Harding. We have been very open with the Chinese about our thinking, while emphasising that we have taken, and can
take, no decisions before 1987 review. But this dialogue needs to
be two-way process: we hope Chinese will let us know as much as possible about their own thinking on this, especially in interest of
their drafting of Basic Law.
contest
CONFIDENTIAL