011 (542
GRS 1100
Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27 (1)
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 17120OZ FCO
TELNO 4172
SECRET
(17
TOP COSY Q DIST ?
OF 17095OZ DECEMBER 86
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
3
537
PEKING TELNO 2382 AND YOUR TELNO 2889 : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
IN HONG KONG
1. 1 AM GRATEFUL FOR THE REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE POSITION SEEN FROM PEKING AND HAVE THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATE COMMENTS. THE SITUATION IS EVOLVING DAY BY DAY NOT ONLY IN THE CHINESE DIMENSION BUT ALSO IN THE HONG KONG DIMENSION (A TELEGRAM WILL FOLLOW ON - THE MOOD FOLLOWING SIR E YOUDE'S DEATH).
3.
THE WHITE PAPER IS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLICATION TOWARDS THE END OF 1987 (SEE TIMETABLE HANDED TO WILSON IN HONG KONG RECENTLY). OUR PRESENT ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROCESS WILL HAVE ADVANCED SUFFICIENT FOR US TO HAVE A FAIR IDEA FROM OUR MANY CONTACTS OF ITS CONTENTS BY ABOUT THE END OF OCTOBER 1987 EVEN
IF THE ACTUAL DRAFT HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED.
4. WITH REGARD TO YOUR TELNO 2889. I HAVE CAREFULLY REFLECTED ON THE POSITION, NOW THAT SOME DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE SIR EDWARD YOUDE'S DEATH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE OR PUBLICLY ACCEPTABLE TO USE THAT AS A REASON FOR DELAYING THE 1987 REVIEW. OUR ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING INFORMAL CONSULTATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, INDICATES CLEARLY THAT TO DELAY THE REVIEW WOULD BE TAKEN AS HAVING YIELDED TO PRESSURE FROM THE CHINESE, AND THAT ITS EFFECT ON CONFIDENCE WOULD BE SERIOUS.
SECRET
See 545
see 547
15