thi
GRS 1100
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2487
Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)
OF 25060OZ JUNE 87
SECRET
DESTBY 2509002
(21,
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
MIPT : STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT : LONGER-TERM #SSUES
FOLLOWING {ÉS TEXT OF COVERING PAPER.
BEGINS
''HISSUES CONNECTED WITH THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE
ON 23 MAY AND 14 OCTOBER 1986, SHR GEOFFREY HOWE HANDED OVER TO
FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUEQHAN TWO SETS OF PAPERS ON ISSUES CONNECTED
WITH THE QUESTOM OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF
GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, AND THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT TO BE PRESCRIBED IN THE BASHIC LAW FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMAN-
STRATIVE REGION(SAR).
2. THE FIRST SET OF PAPERS DESCRIBED HOW THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT
<INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG OPERATE 1 PRACTICE AND EXAMINED CERTAUM
RSSUES WHICH WOULD REQUIRE CONSIDERATION HM ORDER TO ACHIEVE CONVERGENCE.
3. THE SECOND SET OF PAPERS DEALT AN GREATER DETAIL WITH THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE: THE
FUTURE OF THE SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE NOW HELD BY OFFICIAL AND APPOINTED MEMBERS: AND A NUMBER OF LEGAL ISSUES ARMISHING FROM THE
DRAFTING OF THE BASING LAW.
5. THE BRITISH SIDE HAS GIVEN FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO A NUMBER
OF LONGER-TERM ISSUES CONNECTED WITH THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT AND HOW CONVERGENCE WITH THE POST-1997 STRUCTURE COULD
BEST BE ACHIEVED. INT WOULD NOW LIKE TO SHARE MTS THOUGHTS WITH THE
CHINESE SIDE.
TO BE PRESCRIBEEL
IN THE
R.L.
P