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INFLUENCE OVER DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG.
THE CHINESE DIMENSION
15.
THE INTRODUCTION OF A CHIEF EXECUTIVE (DESIGNATE) BEFORE
1997 COULD BE ACHIEVED SUCCESSFULLY ONLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THIS WOULD BE NOT AN ABDICATION OF
RESPONSIBILITY BUT A PRACTICAL NECESSITY. SUCH MODIFICATIONS TO
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WOULD WITHOUT DOUBT BE QUOTE
MATTERS RELATING TO THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT UNQUOTE ON
WHICH THE TWO SIDES ARE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THE JOINT
DECLARATION TO CONSULT. WE WOULD NEED TO EXPLAIN TO THE CHINESE
HOW WE ENVISAGED THAT THE POST WOULD FIT WITHIN THE HONG KONG
GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, HOW THE INCUMBENT WOULD BE SELECTED AND HOW
POWERS WOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY DELEGATED TO HIM. IF WE SOUGHT TO
GO AHEAD WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE THE OBJECTIVE OF A
SMOOTH TRANSITION, BROUGHT ABOUT IN COOPERATION WITH CHINA, COULD
NOT BE ACHIEVED.
16.
SUCH CONSULTATION, IF IT LED TO AGREEMENT AND TO THE
APPOINTMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD BRIDGE THE CHANGE OF
SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, WOULD OFFER US A VALUABLE MEANS OF ACQUIRING
ENHANCED INFLUENCE OVER EVENTS AFTER 1997, BECAUSE THE FIRST
CHIEF EXECUTIVE WOULD BE A CANDIDATE ACCEPTABLE TO OURSELVES AS
WELL AS TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. IT IS TRUE THAT AS A QUID PRO
QUO WE WOULD HAVE CONCEDED TO THE CHINESE INFLUENCE OVER AN
APPOINTMENT MADE BEFORE 1997. BUT THE BARGAIN WOULD BE IN OUR
FAVOUR. WE WOULD RETAIN FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 30 JUNE 1997, AS THE JOINT
DECLARATION PROVIDES. WE WOULD RETAIN CONTROL OVER THE PROCESS
BY WHICH THE CANDIDATE WAS APPOINTED, BOTH IN THE EARLY 19908 AND
NEARER 1997. THIS FORMAL POWER WOULD GIVE US THE MEANS OF
RESISTING ANY ATTEMPT BY THE CHINESE TO IMPOSE ON HONG KONG
BEFORE 1997 A CHIEF EXECUTIVE (DESIGNATE) WHO WOULD NOT BE
ACCEPTABLE TO OURSELVES OR TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
ENDS
REMAINDER OF TEXT OF DRAFT PAPER FOLLOWS IN MIFT.
HOWE LIMITED
HKD
MR GILLMORE
MR WILSON
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