GRS 720
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3950
Confidential. FKK al
OF 24095OZ NOVEMBER 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING,
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 15 DEC 1986
DESK OFFICER
455
INDEX
PA
TOP
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RECISTRY
Action Taken
512
See538
MY TELNO 3544 : 1987 REVIEW : ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC RESPONSE
A PAPER ENTITLED '1987 REVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC OPINION WAS
DISCUSSED AT THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON 24 NOVEMBER.
MEMBERS' PRESENT THINKING CAN BE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS:
(A) FOR PRESENTATION REASONS THE TASK OF SURVEYING AND
REPORTING ON OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY THE PUBLIC SHOULD NOT (NOT) BE UNDERTAKEN BY CIVIL SERVANTS CLOSELY IDENTIFIED WITH THE WORK
OF DRAFTING THE GREEN PAPER. IN OTHER WORDS MEMBERS DO NOT CONSIDER
THAT THE SYSTEM WHICH HAS BEEN USED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON
PREVIOUS GREEN PAPERS WILL BE PUBLICLY SUFFICIENT IN THE MORE
HIGHLY-CHARGED POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH THE 1987 REVIEW WILL
BE CARRIED OUT. THE OPINION-GATHERING EXERCISE MUST BE SEEN AS
IMPARTIAL BY ALL SECTORS OF OPINION.
(B) A CLOSE ANALOGY WITH THE CONDUCT OF THE EXERCISE TO ASSESS THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE
FUTURE OF HONG KONG IN 1984 SHOULD BE AVOIDED. IN PARTICULAR
THERE SHOULD BE NO IMPLICATION THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS
INCAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT THE REVIEW IMPARTIALLY, OR THAT A
SYSTEM OF MONITORING THE EXERCISE FROM OUTSIDE HONG KONG IS
REQUIRED.
(C) THE MODEL PREFERRED BY MEMBERS IS AN OFFICE WITH CERTAIN FEATURES SIMILAR TO THE 1984 ASSESSMENT OFFICE BUT WITH CERTAIN DIFFERENCES. SUCH AN OFFICE WOULD REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNOR-
IN-COUNCIL AND WOULD BE STAFFED AND HEADED BY CIVIL SERVANTS. IN ADDITION, TWO OR MORE NON-GOVERNMENT HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD BE APPOINTED AS MONITORS. THEY WOULD NOT BE ENGAGED IN THE WORK ON AN EXECUTIVE DAY-TO-DAY BASIS BUT WOULD HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED AND WOULD BE REQUIRED TO VERIFY THAT THE FINAL REPORT ON THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER WAS A FAIR AND ACCURATE REPORT ON THE VIEWS RECEIVED.
(D)
HAVING REGARD TO THE POLITICAL COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE 1987 REVIEW THE OFFICE WOULD NOT (NOT) BE
ASKED TO ASSESS THE WEIGHT OF OPINION FOR OR AGAINST PARTICULAR
PROPOSALS. THIS WOULD COMPROMISE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ITSELF TO ASSESS AND TO DECIDE HOW THE OUTCOME
Confidential
lOF.