DSR 1 Revised Sept 85)
DRAFT: minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/note
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Mr Simon S M Lee
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Reference
ROTABI
Your ReferencSTMAN
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Thank you for your letter of 11 January.
I note the importance which you attach to the
introduction of direct elections into Hong Kong's
Legislative Council this year. But it seems clear that
while there is a strong trend in public opinion in Hong
Kong that supports the introduction of direct elections
well before 1997, views are sharply divided as to whether
this should happen in 1988.
I
I hope that the debate on Hong Kong which was held on
20 January in the House of Commons will have served to
make clear the Government's position on this matter.
also trust that it will have demonstrated that there is
no question of any broken promises or of the Government
having gone back on any commitments to the people of Hong
Kong on the subject of direct elections.
There was
never at any stage a commitment by HMG to introduce
direct elections in 1988. I enclose a copy of the