GRS 550
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
Confidential
OF 12083OZ SEPTEMBER 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
HKK Onll.
RECEL
TO FLASH FCO
TELNO 2963
ACTING GOVERNOR FOR GOVERNOR.
17 SEP 1986
A8817/91
PA-Ou/e
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT :
PRESS REPORTS
SUMMARY
TODAY'S PRESS GAVE FAIRLY PROMINENT COVERAGE TO XU JIATUN'S REMARK
THAT HK COULD HAVE DIRECT ELECTION AFTER 1997 IF THE MAJORITY OF
THE LOCAL PEOPLE SO WISHED. HE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THE REPORT
THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS IN FAVOUR OF DIRECT ELECTION IN HK
BY 1983.
DETAILS
2. ACCOMPANYING CHINESE MEMBERS OF THE BLDC SPECIAL GROUP ON
ECONOMIC SYSTEM ON A VISIT TO THE KWA CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL,
XU JIATUN WAS ASKED TO COMMENT ON DIRECT ELECTION IN THE TERRITORY.
HE WAS QUOTED TO HAVE SAID THAT THIS QUESTION SHALL BE DECIDED
IN THE BASIC LAW. AT THIS STAGE, MANY ISSUES RELATING TO POST-1997 HK ARE STILL BEING DISCUSSED, AND IT IS TOO EARLY TO FIRM UP ANY
ARRANGEMENTS. WHEN THE BASIC LAW IS BEING DRAFTED, IT WILL BE PUT TO PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS. WE SHALL LISTEN TO THE LOCAL VIEWS AND GIVE
DUE CONSIDERATION TO THE WISHES OF HK PEOPLE.
WHEN ASKED WHETHER HK COULD HAVE DIRECT ELECTION IF THE MAJORITY SUPPORTED IT, HE REPLIED : 'IF THERE IS MAJORITY SUPPORT, OF COURSE IT CAN. (THE SCMP LINKED THIS REMARK, PROBABLY ERRONEOUSLY, TO DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. NO OTHER PAPER HAS DONE THE SAME.)
3. WHEN BE ING QUESTIONED ON WHETHER THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988 BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD IN ANY WAY AFFECT THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, XU SAID: "HK PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN VIEWS. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MIGHT ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN CONSIDERATIONS. WE DO NOT COMMENT ON THE VIEWS OF THE BRITISH
GOVERNMENT * SCMP ALSO QUOTED XU TO HAVE SAID THAT THE JLG HAD
DISCUSSED DIRECT ELECTIONS BUT MADE NO CONCLUSION: THIS WAS
NOT HOWEVER REPEATED IN OTHER PAPERS.
4. HK STANDARD COMMENTED THAT XU'S REMARKS SEEMED TO DOVETAIL WITH
THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS STATEMENT ON WEDNESDAY IN LONDON THAT
''FULL ACCOUNT WOULD BE TAKEN OF THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HK WHEN DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FROM THE 1987 REVIEW. IT SPECULATED THAT THIS
DEVELOPMENT SIGNALLED THAT THE CHINESE AND THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES
Conneennal
Іние.
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