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OCMIAN 5914
CONFIDENTIAL
OO HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
2515402 JUN
GRS 365
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1237
OF 251540Z JUNE 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
45914
1
HKK 011/!
RECEIVES &d a
27 JUN 1986
INDEX
двож
YOUR TELNO 1945: STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT
1.
WE GENERALLY AGREE WITH EXCO'S ASSESSMENT OF THE CHINESE
POSITION, AS RECORDED IN PARAS 2-3 OF TUR. LIKE YOU WE HOPE THAT
OUTRIGHT CHINESE RESISTANCE TO THE PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS
IS OVER. WE AGREE THAT THERE IS EVIDENCE WHICH SUPPORTS THIS,
ALTHOUGH WE ARE NOT SURE THAT IT IS YET CONCLUSIVE.
2.
WHERE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE TIMETABLE FOR THE 1987 REVIEW
AND THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROGRAMME ARE CONCERNED (PARAS 5-6 OF
TUR) WE DID NOT 'PROPOSE' SLIPPAGE IN THE TIMETABLE FOR THE 1987 REVIEW, BUT ASKED IF THERE WAS SCOPE FOR IT TO SLIP IF THIS
SEEMED LIKELY TO BE HELPFUL. WE HOPE EXCO WERE CLEAR ABOUT OUR
POSISTION ON THIS POINT. WE ASSUME THAT YOU FEEL TO
MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE THE 1987 REVIEW MUST BE SEEN TO BEGIN AND END IN 1987, AND THAT A FULL NINE MONTHS OR SO IS NECESSARY BETWEEN
PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER AND THE HOLDING OF ELECTIONS TO
ALLOW FOR THE VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS.
3.
WE HAVE SOME DIFFICULTY WITH THE THEORY THAT IF THE
CHINESE ACCELERATED THEIR OWN BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROGRAMME THIS
COULD LEAD TO PRESSURE ON YOU TO ADVANCE YOUR GREEN PAPER TO KEEP
AHEAD OF THE CHINESE. IS THERE REALLY EVIDENCE THAT THE HONG
KONG PUBLIC IS LOOKING AT THE RELATIVE TIMINGS OF THE TWO
1
CONFIDENTIAL