DIZI
RD1AIT
SECRET
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
PT Pelham Esq
office of the Deputy Chief Secretary
Government Secretariat
HONG KONG
Den Pelham,
Q38)
HKK 011/1
7 May 1986
HRRO!!!!
RE
13 MAY 1986
TAB 13/5
236
"ACCOUNTABILITY" IN THE JOINT DECLARATION
1.
Thank you for your letter of 15 April. We agree that it is tactically wise to have a paper on this subject on the stocks.
2. We have consulted our Legal Advisers, who share our reaction that the draft ExCo paper is a very good summary
issue. We of
this
have the the position following amendments to suggest:
(a) para 6
-
implies
also
therefore
on
complex
we feel that the term "accountability" of sanction.
some
suggest
subparagraph (ii).
sort
a
full
stop
We after
would your
suggest (without
The next two subparagraphs might
11
then begin "It does not specific provision) .. the end of this paragraph:
(b)
some
You might then add at
"However, it is does imply that there is
in sanction
Executive fails in its
some
render
an
or
the event that the to its need
obligations
in sanction
account
responsibilities though the
not be directly related to the particular failure."
para 7
we think it would be useful to stress the role that the public service plays as part of the Executive,
amending suggest sentence to read:
and
"Government policy is determined
the
second
the
by
Executive
Governor and his principal officials acting
consultation
in
Council."
with
the
SPODAT