OCMIAN 6789

SECRET

OO PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

151600Z AUG

GRS 270

SECRET

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 1754

OF 15160OZ AUGUST 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

PA गय/

(347)

SECRET

56789 - 1

PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM LAYDEN,

HKD

YOUR TELNO 2637: GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OF THE SAR

1.

THANK YOU FOR THE REPORT OF THIS INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT.

WE SHOULD BE INTERESTED TO RECEIVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS YOU MAY

HAVE ON THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSALS IN TUR. OUR PRELIMINARY VIEW

(HKD ONLY) IS THAT THEY ARE INDEED ON THE CONSERVATIVE SIDE, AND

AS FAR AS THEY GO BY NO MEANS UNREASONABLE. ONE APPARENT

OMISSION IS A PROVISION FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO DISSOLVE THE

LEGISLATURE. WITH A LEGISLATURE WHICH HAS NO QUOTE GOVERNMENT

UNQUOTE ELEMENT (PARA 6 OF TUR) SUCH A PROVISION IS PERHAPS ALL

THE MORE NECESSARY.

2.

PARA 1 SUGGESTS THAT MARIA TAM MAY BE IN SYMPATHY WITH

THE IDEAS BEING WORKED UP BY THE GROUP. WE WOULD BE INTERESTED

TO KNOW WHETHER THIS IS THE CASE. WE WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED TO

KNOW HOW FAR YOU JUDGE OTHER HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE BLDC, NOTABLY MARTIN LEE AND SZETO WAH, ARE IN SYMPATHY WITH THE GROUP,

IF AT ALL. MIGHT WE AT SOME STAGE FACE ACCUSATIONS BY THOSE WHO

HOLD MORE RADICAL VIEWS THAT A CLIQUE IS BEING FORMED, ENCOURAGED

BY THE AUTHORITIES, TO IMPOSE ON HONG KONG A SYSTEM LESS

FULLY REPRESENTATIVE THAN MIGHT BE SECURED IF HONG KONG BLCC

1

SECRET

AKKO!!|!

RECOVE

Rr

20 AUG 1986

ABB

/MONTERS

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