GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1462
OF 130845Z MAY 86
CONFIDENTIAL
FOR HUM, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE: EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1. YOUR TELNO 237 OF 8 FEBRUARY 1985 RECORDED THAT THE PALACE HAD APPROVED THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW OATH TO BE TAKEN BY NEW MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE OATH
OF ALLEGIANCE.
2. # DID NOT IN THE CORRESPONDENCE CONCERNING THIS PROPOSAL SUGGEST ANY CHANGE TO THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE FOR THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL," MAINLY BECAUSE IT DID NOT THEN SEEM NECESSARY. NOW, HOWEVER, WE
HAVE REACHED THE POINT WHERE AM CONSIDERING APPOINTING TO EXCO
MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHO WERE ELECTED LAST YEAR
AND WHO TOOK THE ALTERNATIVE OATH RATHER THAN THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE.
SUCH PEOPLE MAY WELL NOT WISH TO TAKE THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE FOR
THE SAME REASONS THAT THEY CHOOSE NOT TO DO SO WHEN THEY TOOK
THEIR SEATS HIN LEGCO. JUST AS WE DID NOT WANT THE IMPLICATIONS OF
THE OATH OF ALLEGANCE TO DETER CANDIDATES FROM SEEKING ELECTION
TO LEGCO, EQUALLY WOULD NOT WANT OTHERWISE SUITABLE UNOFFICIALS TO BE DETERRED FROM ACCPETHING APPOINTMENT TO EXCO.
3. BEFORE THE ALTERNATIVE OATH CAME INTO EXISTENCE, UNOFFICIPAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO WHO WERE APPOINTED TO EXCO WERE NOT REQUIRED TO RETAKE THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE. THE OATH THAT THEY HAD TAKEN ON JOINING LEGCO WAS CONSIDERED SUFFICIENT FOR EXCO PURPOSES AS WELL (THEY DID OF COURSE ALSO TAKE THE SEPARATE OATH OF FIDELITY). *** SEE NOT PARTICULAR REASON MYSELF WHY THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) PRINCIPLE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE DESPITE THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS. IN OTHER WORDS, AN UNOFFICIAL WHO HAD TAKEN THE ALTERNATIVE OATH ON JOINING LEGCO WOULD NOT BE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE WHEN APPOINTED TO EXCO. HOWEVER, SINCE THE OATH HE HAS TAKEN IN LEGCO IS SPECIFICĦĦALLY LIMITED TO THAT BODY HE WOULD HAVE TAKE AN
EQUIVALENT OATH FOR EXCO.
CONFIDENTIAL
15
HRRO11/15.
REGE VGA
1 5 MAY 1986
AB