SECRET
TOP COPY Q DIST 7
011
674
SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 10010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 3215
OF 091934Z DECEMBER 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
1. MKB 011/2
15 DEC 1987
037411
MDHOAN 4640
Res
YOUR TELNOS 4647-8 AND PEKING TELNO 2138: REVIEW OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EXPLANATION OF THE PRACTICAL
IMPLICATIONS OF EXCO'S ADVICE. BUT WE HAVE TO SAY THAT WHAT YOU
NOW PROPOSE STRIKES US AS RATHER A MESSY PROCEDURE.
1.
2.
WE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE PUBLIC LINE, BOTH IN LONDON AND HONG KONG, THAT NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN TAKEN ON THE ISSUES RAISED IN THE REVIEW: THAT THE FULL RANGE OF ISSUES MUST BE GIVEN
PROPER CONSIDERATION TOGETHER: AND THAT OUR DECISIONS WILL BE
MADE PUBLIC IN A CO-ORDINATED WAY IN THE WHITE PAPER. WE HAVE
ASSUMED THAT YOU WOULD WISH TO PRESENT THESE DECISIONS IN THE
WHITE PAPER AS A SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED AND COHERENT RESPONSE TO
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE WHOLE TOPIC OF
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. IT
SEEMS TO US THAT IT WILL DETRACT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM OUR EVENTUAL
PRESENTATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW IF A DECISION ON
CERTAIN ASPECTS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED IN ADVANCE IN A PIECEMEAL AND
APPARENTLY IMPROVISATORY WAY.
3.
·
YOU WILL ALSO APPRECIATE THAT A DECISION ARISING FROM SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THE REVIEW, HOWEVER LIMITED AND TECHNICAL IT MIGHT IN ITSELF BE, MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF MINISTERS. WE HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT TO THEM A CLEARLY
ARGUED RATIONALE COVERING THE FULL RANGE OF DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN. THE CHINESE COULD ALSO BE FORGIVEN FOR BEING TAKEN ABACK
WHEN THEY ARE SUDDENLY NOTIFIED OF AN IMMINENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON
ONE ISOLATED ASPECT OF THE REVIEW, EVEN IF IT IS AN ASPECT IN WHICH UP TO NOW THEY HAVE NOT DISPLAYED ANY PARTICULAR INTEREST.
4.
THIS.
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER COMMENTS ON ALL WE DO NOT WANT TO MAKE LIFE MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU, AND IF YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT IT IS NECESSARY WE SHALL OF COURSE PUT THE
MATTER TO MINISTERS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. BUT AS YOU WILL SEE WE DO HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONAL IMPLICATIONS, NOT LEAST IN HONG KONG, OF WHAT YOU NOW PROPOSE.
HOWE