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(F) CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. THE CS SAID THERE WERE STRONG LOCAL PRESSURES TO PROCEED TOWARD DIRECT ELECTIONS. LU WAS CONCERNED THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD LEAD TO POLITICAL PARTIES, PREJUDICING STABILITY, CS THOUGHT FT UNLIKELY THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE FACED WITH PARTHES IN THE CONVENTIONAL SENSE. TO ESTABLISH SUCH PARTIES WAS NO PART OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVES. WE HAD NO MOTIVE TO UNDERMINE STABILITY. NOR DID WE NEGLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THERE WAS NO DESIRE TO SUBSTITUTE 'RULE BY SOCIAL WORKERS'. FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WORKED WELL BUT PRESSURES FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS EXISTED WHICH MUST BE ACCOMMODATED IN SOME WAY. IN RESPONSE TO AN ANXIOUS QUESTION BY LU PING, THE CS SAID HE COULD NOT SEE A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM DEVELOPING. THERE WERE OTHER WAYS TO DEVELOP ACCOUNTABILITY. WE ADDED THAT WHATEVER SOLUTION WAS CHOSEN IT WOULD BE NECESSAPY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE HONG KONG EPOPLE WOULD ENJOY THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY PROMISED TO THEM IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.
(G) CONVERGENCE. THE CHIEF SECRETARY POINTED TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS. WE WERE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WORK ON THE BASIC LAW AND OF THE VIEWS OF MEMBERS OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE. WE WOULD EXPECT A UNITY OF VIEWS FROM THE PUBLIC RATHER THAN ONE VIEW ON OUR GREEN PAPER AND ANOTHER ON THE BASIC LAW. A SOLUTION WOULD EMERGE GRADUALLY. THERE WOULD BE DIFFICULT MOMENTS FOR BOUTH SIDES BUT THERE WAS A SHARED GOAL AND WE WOULD REACH IT.
5. THERE WAS DISCUSSION ADDITIONALLY OF ASAS AND KOWLOOM WALLED CITY (SEPARATE TELEGRAMS) AND JAPAN. LU PING ALSO SHOWED AN INTELLIEGENT INTEREST IN THE NATIONALITY DEBATE. FULL RECORD
BY BAG.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
D/HD PUSD
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
MR WILSON
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