BFGINS.
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056655
MDHIAN 0632
(D) 29 DEC TO 4 JAN: CONSULTATION WITH MINISTERS. MINISTERS' COMMENTS TELEGRAPHED TO HK. FOURTH DRAFT ISSUED TO EXCO.
(E) 5 JAN: EXCO CONSIDERS COMPLETE DRAFT OF WHITE PAPER, INCLUDING FOURTH DRAFT OF PAPER (A). EXCO'S COMMENTS TELEGRAPHED TO YOU.
(F) 6 JAN: FIFTH DRAFT OF PAPER (A) TELEGRAPHED TO YOU. SUBMITT- ED TO SECRETARY OF STATE (AND OTHER MINISTERS IF NECESSARY,
INCLUDING, AGAIN IF NECESSARY, TELEGRAPHIC CLEARANCE OF ANY KEY
POINTS WITH PRIME MINISTER IN AFRICA).
(6) 8 JAN: MINISTERS' DECISION RECEIVED IN HK.
3.
MIFT CONTAINS A DRAFT ANNOTATED OUTLINE OF THE WHITE PAPER. YOU WILL SEE THAT IT DIFFERS SLIGHTLY FROM THE BRIEF OUTLINE SET OUT IN MY TELNO 4686. ON REFLECTION, WE FEEL WE SHOULD
(A) RESPOND IN SUITABLE AND NON-DEFENSIVE TERMS TO THE CRITICISM THAT THE GREEN PAPER OMITTED CERTAIN KEY ISSUES AND THAT PROMISES MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 1984 WHITE PAPER WERE BROKEN:
(B) ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT SOME ASPECTS OF THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT HAVE BEEN CONTROVERSIAL:
(C) SET OUT AN OVERALL PHILOSOPHICAL FRAMEWORK (NEW CHAPTER II) WITHIN WHICH THE VARIOUS DECISIONS ON INDIVIDUAL ISSUES COULD BE BROUGHT TOGETHER AS A COHERENT PACKAGE: AND
(D) REFER TO THE LONGER TERM PICTURE BEYOND 1991 AND SET IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BASIC LAW, THEREBY DEALING WITH THE INEVITABLE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THERE WILL BE AFURTHER REVIEW (NEW CHAPTER VIII).
4.
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE ANNOTATED OUTLINE
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT IS FOR CONSIDERATION WHETHER THE TEXT OF NEW CHAPTER VIII SHOULD FORM PART OF THE PAPER TO BE HANDED OVER
TO THE CHINESE, TOGETHER WITH THE TEXT OF NEW CHAPTER III. WE SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO SEND YOU A DRAFT OF CHAPTER VIII ON 18 DECEMBER ASWELL.
5. IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ADHERE TO THE TIMETABLE IN OUR TELNO 4685 AS FAR AS THE REST OF PAPER (B) IS CONCERNED. WE DO NOT (NOT)
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