CONFIDENTIAL
157546
MDHOAN 6846
DISCUSSION AT EVERY LEVEL FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
DOWN.
AND
25. IN CONSIDERING THE WAY AHEAD WE ARE NOT JUST PLANNING FOR
THE NINE YEARS UP TO 1997. WE ARE SEEKING TO ACHIEVE CONTINUITY
AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE STRUCTURES OF GOVERNMENT IN
POST-1997 HONG KONG WHICH WILL BE LAID DOWN IN THE BASIC LAW. WE
HAVE NOTED THAT IN THE PRELIMINARY FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW
RECENTLY PUBLISHED IN HONG KONG ALL THE OPTIONS FOR THE COMPOSITION
OF THE LEGISLATURE PROVIDE FOR A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT. THAT IS
ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH CAN GUIDE US IN REACHING OUR CONCLUSIONS. AND THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE, AS I HAVE DESCRIBED THEM, HELP ESTABLISH THE PARAMETERS WITHIN WHICH WE SHOULD PLAN TO MOVE AHEAD ON A STEADY AND PRUDENT
ACEPTABLE TO THE
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
COURSE
ENDS
HOWE
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
48
DISTRIBUTION
49
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PUSD
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
MR MCLAREN
MR GILLMORE
ADDITIONAL
1
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
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