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(C)
3.
SPRING 1988). WOULD IT THEN BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE
CONSEQUENTIAL ARRANGEMENTS SO THAT LEGCO ELECTIONS COULD BE
HELD ON SCHEDULE IN SEPTEMBER 1988, OR WOULD IT BE NECESSARY
TO EXTEND LEGCO?
TO PUT BACK THE WHOLE PROCESS BY A FULL YEAR, EXTENDING LEGCO UNTIL 1989 AND HOLDING ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT
YEAR.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD SET OUT THE ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF EACH OPTION AS SEEN FROM HONG KONG, IN TERMS OF:
(A) POLITICAL REACTIONS:
(B) THE PRACTICALITIES IN HONG KONG:
(C)
4.
THE INTERACTION WITH CHINESE OBJECTIVES AND THE DRAFTING OF
THE BASIC LAW. A KEY ELEMENT HERE WILL BE WHETHER THE
CONCLUSIONS OF THE SPECIAL GROUP ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE WILL
BE AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER 1987, OR WHETHER WE HAVE ANY MEANS
OF ENSURING THROUGH DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE THAT THEY
CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE.
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TOO FOR PEKING'S VIEWS, IN PARTICULAR ON (C) ABOVE, BY THE SAME DESKBY.
5. I AM SURE YOU WILL WISH TO RESTRICT KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT
THAT WE ARE EVEN PREPARED TO CONTEMPLATE THESE OPTIONS TO THE
SMALLEST POSSIBLE CIRCLES. WE SHALL DO THE SAME.
HOWE
OCMIAN 6103
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PS
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE
DR WILSON
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