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17 NOV 1986
DEST VFFICER
INOGRS 600
CONFIDENT LAL
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FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3849
OF 170855Z NOVEMBER 86
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
503
502
See (503
TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON FOR SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES.
MIFT:
THERE IS NO DOUBT WHICH ISSUE MOST ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF
MEMBERS IN THIS DEBATE. I REFER, OF COURSE, TO THE 1987 REVIEW
OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND IN PARTICULAR
THE QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THIS COUNCIL. THE FORTHRIGHT
AND STRONGLY ARGUED CASE BOTH FOR AND AGAINST DIRECT ELECTIONS
IN THE DEBATE IS ITSELF A REFLECTION OF THE CHANGED NATURE OF THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SINCE 1985, WHEN, FOLLOWING THE WHITE PAPER OF NOVEMBER 1984, THE SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THIS COUNCIL WAS SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED. SIMILARLY, TOO, THE NATURE OF THE PUBLIC
DEBATE HAS CHANGED. WHEN THE GREEN PAPER OF 1984 WAS PUBLISHED, HONG
KONG WAS ABOUT TO BREAK NEW GROUND. THE SITUATION NOW IS THAT
MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THE
COUNCIL AND THE SYSTEM WORKS FROM THE INSIDE: FROM THE OUTSIDE,
THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT LARGE HAVE HAD JUST
OVER A YEAR AND IT IS ONLY JUST OVER A YEAR - TO SEE HOW A LARGER
AND MORE SELF-STANDING COUNCIL HAS FULFILLED ITS ROLE OF RESPONDING TO THE MANY COMPLEX ISSUES WHICH CONFRONT THIS LIVELY ENERGETIC
AND QUESTIONING COMMUNITY OF OURS.
2. SOME MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO DRAW ME OUT ON THE SUBJECT OF DIRECT
ELECTIONS. HOWEVER, AS HAS BEEN POINTED OUT MANY TIMES, NOW IS NOT (NOT) THE MOMENT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE GOVERNMENT TO COMMENT IN DETAIL OR TO SET OUT ITS OWN DESCRIPTION OF THE OPTIONS
FOR THE DIRECTION OF FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL AND RELATED CHANGES:
THESE ARE FOR THE GREEN PAPER WHICH IS FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS AWAY.
AND THERE ARE GOOD REASONS FOR THIS ATTITUDE, WHICH HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH A DISABLED DUCK. FIRST, THERE IS THE SPEED AND DISTANCE WE HAVE TRAVELLED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST YEAR: SECOND, THERE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED AND THE NEED TO FIND THE RIGHT SOLUTIONS
TO THEM: AND THIRD, PUBLIC DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC OPINION HAS
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