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21.
IS DESCRIBED IN THE BASIC LAW. IF CONVERGENCE CANNOT BE ACHIEVED
THERE WILL BE A DISRUPTIVE BREAK IN 1997 AND/OR OPEN CONFLICT
BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS BEFORE 1997, WITH
POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS FOR THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG.
THE GENERAL PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BY PARTICULAR
COMPLICATIONS OF TIMING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE REVIEW TO
BE CONDUCTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DURING 1987 WILL ADDRESS
THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE
COMMITTED TO INCLUDING IN THE REVIEW THE QUESTION OF DIRECT
ELECTIONS. AT THE SAME TIME THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE BLDC
WILL BE CONSIDERING THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE SAR IN
1997. THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WILL BE PUBLISHED IN
1988. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE CONFLICT
BETWEEN THE OUTCOME OF THESE TWO EXERCISES. PARTICULAR
DIFFICULTY WOULD BE CAUSED IF A DECISION TAKEN BY THE BRITISH
SIDE AT THE END OF 1987 WAS INCONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS IN THE
DRAFT BASIC LAW PUBLISHED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE
FOLLOWING YEAR. THIS WOULD CALL INTO QUESTION QUOTE CONVERGENCE
UNQUOTE AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997: GREATLY DAMAGE
CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG: AND WEAKEN THE BASIS FOR OUR NECESSARY
COOPERATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
THE CHINESE ATTITUDE
22.
OVER THE PAST YEAR THE CHINESE HAVE ON MANY OCCASIONS
MADE KNOWN THEIR CONCERN AT THE DIRECTION AND PACE OF
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. IN NOVEMBER 1985 THEIR
DE FACTO REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG PUBLICLY ACCUSED US OF QUOTE
DEVIATIONS FROM THE JOINT DECLARATION UNQUOTE, A STATEMENT WHICH
SERIOUSLY JOLTED CONFIDENCE. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NOW DONE MUCH TO
RE-ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP OF MUTUAL TRUST OVER THESE ISSUES,
CHINESE NERVOUSNESS REMAINS.
23.
THE CHINESE CONCERNS APPEAR TO BE TWOFOLD. THE CHINESE
DO NOT WANT US TO ANNOUNCE DECISIONS ABOUT MAJOR CONSTITUTIONAL
CHANGE (IN PARTICULAR OVER DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL) IN ADVANCE OF THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW IN 1990.
THEY FEAR THAT THE IMPRESSION COULD BE GIVEN THAT IMPORTANT
PROVISIONS IN THE BASIC LAW HAD BEEN IMPOSED ON THEM BY OUR
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