SECRET
000665
MDHIAN 4867
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 251100Z FCO TELNO 336
OF 250940OZ JANUARY 88
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
MCB011/1
25 JAN 1988
PEKING TELNO 151
55
YOU REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
WHITE PAPER
1, THIS SENSIBLE REACTION FROM THE CHINESE IS ENCOURAGING.
2. THE ANSSERS TO KE'S TWO
''TECHNICAL POINTS'' ARE :
(A) HIS TRANSLATION OF ''THE LATEST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW'' IS
BETTER THAN OURS. WE WILL ALTER OURS ACCORDINGLY.
(B) WE WERE, OF COURSE, AWARE OF THE MISMATCH BETWEEN THE VIEWS RECORDED IN PARAS 23 OF THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER (ALBEIT THE PRODUCT
OF A SMALL RETURN) AND THE DECISION IN PARA 29.
IT WOULD NOT HOWEVER MAKE POLITICAL SENSE TO FAIL TO RECORD VIEWS
ON THIS POINT, WHEN WE ARE DOING SO ON ALL OTHER ISSUES COVERED, EVEN THOUGH OUR DECISION GOES AGAINST THE RECORDED TREND OF PUBLIC OPINION. TO MAKE THE CONTRAST LESS STARK, WE PROPOSE TO AMEND PARA 23 TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
''OPINIONS ON HOW DIRECT ELECTIONS MIGHT BE ORGANISED WERE FEW AND ALSO DIVIDED. THOSE WHO COMMENTED WERE, ON BALANCE, IN FAVOUR OF HAVING SEVERAL CONSTITUENCIES RATHER THAN A TERRITORY-WIDE CONSTITUENCY, AND OF HAVING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN ADDITION TO, RATHER THAN INSTEAD OF, INDIRECT ELECTIONS BY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE. '' THIS SUPERSEDES THE AMENDMENT IN SUB-PARA (F) OF MY TELNO 312.
3. IF MINISTERS ARE CONTENT WITH THE DRAFT WHITE PAPER AS NOW STANDS
WE PROPOSE TO PUT THE DRAFT TO EXCO FOR FORMAL CONFIRMATION ON 2 FEBRUARY, GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD CONFIRM MINISTERIAL VIEWS.
MEANWHILE WE SHALL PROCEED WITH PRINTING SO THAT ADVANCE PRINTED
COPIES CAN BE SENT TO PEKING FOR HANDING OVER TO THE CHINESE
ON OR ABOUT 3 FEBRUARY.
4. PROVIDING YOU AGREE WITH THE LINES IN PARA 2 ABOVE, GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD INSTRUCT PEKING TO THANK KE FOR HIS SPEEDY REACTION AND
EXPLAIN HOW WE PROPOSE TO DEAL WITH HIS TWO POINTS.
WILSON
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