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SHOULD BE KEPT IN PROPORTION.
IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE ONLY A
ON
SMALL NUMBER OF THE SEATS ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE
INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE SEEN IN HONG KONG AS A SYMBOL OF
AUTONOMY, IN PRACTICE THIS AUTONOMY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED BY SUCH
A DEVICE AND MUST BE ACHIEVED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE OTHER HAND THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT THE INTRODUCTION
OF DIRECT ELECTIONS MIGHT IN PRACTICE GENERATE INSTABILITY.
THESE CONSIDERATIONS WILL NEED TO BE KEPT VERY FIRMLY IN MIND
WHEN THE TIME COMES TO CONSIDER WHETHER A DIRECTLY ELECTED
ELEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988.
35.
IN THE MEANTIME WE MUST CONTINUE AND INTENSIFY OUR
EXCHANGES WITH THE CHINESE ON ALL THE ISSUES CONNECTED WITH
QUOTE CONVERGENCE UNQUOTE. WE MUST EMPHASISE WHY THE 1987 REVIEW
MUST BE SEEN TO BE GENUINE AND OPEN, WITH BOTH THE BRITISH AND
CHINESE GOVERNMENTS KEEPING AN OPEN MIND OVER THE OUTCOME. WE
MUST SEEK TO CREATE CONDITIONS OF TRUST WITHIN WHICH PROBLEMS CAN
BE DISCUSSED AND SOLVED.
36.
UNTIL THE STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG CRYSTALLISES, WE
CANNOT FORESEE PRECISELY HOW THESE PROBLEMS MIGHT BE TACKLED.
BUT THE CLOSER OUR INFORMAL DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE ON ALL THE
ISSUES CONNECTED WITH QUOTE CONVERGENCE UNQUOTE AND THE BASIC
LAW, THE BETTER WILL BE OUR CHANCES OF FINDING A WAY FORWARD
WHICH WILL AT LEAST REDUCE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEMS
INVOLVED AND PRESENT AN OUTCOME WHICH WILL MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE
THAT THE TRANSITION TO 1997 CAN BE NEGOTIATED SUCCESSFULLY.
ENDS
HOWE
OCMIAN 2494
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ΜΑΙΝ
LIMITED
HKD
MR GILLMORE
MR WILSON
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