Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)
SECRET
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3217
OF 27105OZ AUGUST 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
HkB 0!!!
0111
27 AUG 1987
(
нив oil
011421 MDHIAN 0511
69
MY TELNO 3111 AND YOUR TELNO 2229: STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT: LONGER TERM ISSUES: GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE
THE DRAFT PAPER ON THE GEC, AND A COVERING MEMORANDUM CONTAINING THE GIST OF PARAS 3 AND 4 OF YOUR TELNO 2159 REGARDING THE TIMING OF PRESENTATION TO THE CHINESE, WERE DISCUSSED IN EXCO ON 25 AUGUST.
2. MEMBERS AGREED THAT WE SHOULD AIM TO HAVE A PAPER READY FOR HANDING OVER LATER THIS YEAR, BUT THAT DECISION AS TO WHETHER AND WHEN TO DO SO NEED NOT BE TAKEN UNTIL AFTER I HAD TESTED THE WATER DURING MY SEPTEMBER VISIT. THE COUNCIL WAS CLEARLY RATHER NERVOUS ABOUT THE RECEPTION WHICH THE GEC CONCEPT WOULD GET IN HONG KONG, AND CONSEQUENTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGERS INHERENT IS BEING TOO CLOSELY IDENTIFIED WITH THE DETAILS OF IT AT THIS STAGE. ON THE OTHER HAND, MEMBERS SAW THE NEED FOR US TO TRY AND FEED SENSIBLE IDEAS TO THE CHINESE ON DETAILS OF THE GEC'S COMPOSITION AND PROCEDURES, IF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AGREED THAT THE GEC CONCEPT SHOULD BE FURTHER DEVELOPED.
3. MEMBERS SAW THE MAIN VALUE OF THE GEC AS BEING TO PROVIDE BACKING TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE BY VALIDATING THE MEMBERSHIP OF HIS NOMINEES, PARTICULARLY KEY OFFICIALS, IN THE LEGISLATURE.
AND
THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A ''CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S PARTY'' IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE NEED TO AVOID STRIPPING THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF TOO MUCH OF HIS POWER. THEY ASKED THAT THOUGHT BE GIVEN TO OTHER POSSIBLE MEANS OF RETURNING A CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S PARTY IN CASE THE GEC CONCEPT FAILED TO GAIN ACCEPTANCE.
4. THE DRAFT PAPER ITSELF WAS CONSIDERED TO BE GENERALLY ON THE RIGHT LINES. MEMBERS ASKED, HOWEVER, THAT FURTHER THOUGHT BE GIVEN TO TWO POINTS OF SUBSTANCE:
(A) THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE GEC. THIS WOULD HAVE AN IMPORTANT BEARING ON COMPOSITION. THE PAPER SHOULD EXAMINE VARIOUS POSSIBLE SIZES (SAY 200, 500 OR 1000 PLUS) AND SET OUT THE PROS AND CONS FOR
PAGE
SECRET
1