450
CRS 500
CONFIDENTIAL
fi HỒNG KÔNG
TO DESKEY 18090JZ FCO
TELNO 3442
OF 180520Z OCTUBER 86
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO DESKEY 120900Z JAKARTA
INFO PF IORITY PEKING
HKK out
а Oul
RECEIVED IN REGISTI
06 NO2 1986
TO
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
PRONTAY Action Taken
COPY ST ?
JAKARTA FOR WILSON AUSS
MIPT: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNDENT
REDRAFT OF PARA 29 ONWARDS IS AS FOLLOWS:
SEGINS
28.
OUR APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERN ENT
IN HONG KONG HAS THROUGHOUT BEEN A VERY CAUTIOUS ONE. WE HAVE SOUGHT
TO BUILD ON LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AND TRADITIONS. THIS APPROACH MAS
BEEN WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THEY HAVE SHOWN A
CONSISTENT PREFERENCE FOR GRADUALISM, AND A STRONG CONCERN THAT
SOCIAL STABILITY SHOULD NOT DE ENDANGERED.
23. MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THIS VIEW
AND WILL NOT WISH TO SEE THE 1987 REVIEW LEADING TO DRAMATIC
CHANGES. HOWEVER, THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS HAS SEEY THE
EMERGENCE OF A MORE POLITICAL ELEMENT IN THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY, WHO SEE THE PRESENT SYSTEM AS A COLONIAL REMNANT. THEY HAVE TAKEN
THE LEAD IN DEMANDING EARLY AND RAPID CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AND
IN PARTICULAR DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. THE PROPONENTS OF THESE IDEAS ARE AT PRESENT A MINORITY, FUT THEY ARE A VERY VOCAL OPE
WHOSE VIEWS ARE GIVEN WIDESPREAD COVERAGE IN THE MEDIA.
.30.
WE CANNOT PREDICT WITH ANY CERTAINTY HOW THE VIEWS OF THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON THE ISSUES TO BE COVERED IN THE 1087 REVIEW
ILL DEVELOP. DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL DE THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE, AND GIVEN THE DEEP DIVISIONS THAT ALREADY EXIST IT I LIKELY THAT NO CLEAR CONSENSUS ON THIS SUBJECT WILL EXERCE. IT
VILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THAN IN THE PAST TO REACH
A DECISION THAT WILL DE ACCEPTABLE TO THE AJORITY.
31. THE SITUATION IS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT THAT THE MOM
CHIESE OPPOSITION TO DIRECT ELECTIONS HAS CAUSED PALY PEOPLE 11.
HORG KUNC TO SUPPORT THEIR INTRODUCTION IN 1980 NCT FOR THEIR OWN SAKE, BUT AS A SYNEOL OF HONG KOND'S ABILITY TO ACCUIRE AND RETAIN THE HIGH DECREE OF AUTONOMY PROMISED IN THE JO!'T
DECLARATION. THIS FACTOR IS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT IF SO E ELEMENT OF CIPECT ELECTIONS IS OT INTRODUCED IN 190E THERE WILL ALIOST CERTAINLY DE A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION 11. CONFIDENCE I MONO RONA 1.
CONFIDENTIAL
/THE