Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)
CONFIDENTIAL
HELP FASHION A BASIC LAW. ACCEPTABLE AND APPROPRIATE TO HONG
KONG.
27.
WE HAVE MADE LESS HEADWAY OVER THE 1987 REVIEW.
28.
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1
AND WE HAVE SOUGHT TO REASSURE HONG KONG OPINION THAT THE 1987 REVIEW WILL BE A GENUINE AND OPEN ONE, WHICH WE ARE APPROACHING WITHOUT PRECONCEIVED IDEAS.
PROSPECTS
29.
THEY
OUR APPROACH TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG HAS THROUGHOUT BEEN A VERY CAUTIOUS ONE. WE HAVE SOUGHT TO BUILD ON LOCAL INSTITUTIONS AND TRADITIONS. THIS APPROACH HAS BEEN WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. HAVE SHOWN A CONSISTENT PREFERENCE FOR GRADUALISM, AND A STRONG CONCERN THAT SOCIAL STABILITY SHOULD NOT BE ENDANGERED.
30.
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 HAVE SEEN THE EMERGENCE OF A MORE POLITICAL ELEMENT IN THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY,
CONFIDENTIAL
/wmo