Ministe
PS/Lord Genarthur
HKB 040/2
IS JAN 1988
FOI EXEMPTION NO. 27(1.)..
CLOSED UNDER
THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN THIS IS A COPY
CONFIDENTIAL
rth
From:
RJT McLaren
08 JAN 1988
Murine
Date:
Cc:
빌
7 January 1988
PS
PS/PUS
Mr Gillmore
Mr
Mr
Houston
Hum, HKD
MR GEORGE FOULKES, MP:
DEBATE ON HONG KONG
Mr G Foulkes MP called on me this afternoon for a briefing in advance of his three day visit to Hong Kong next week. His main concern was with representative government but we also covered other current issues, including the general question of confidence, basic law, Vietnamese Refugees, BN (0) passports and the problems of the Hong Kong Futures and Stock Exchanges.
2.
At Mr Foulkes request I outlined the background to the 1987 review. I described the way it had been conducted and emphasised its genuineness. I also outlined the para- meters within which the decisions on direct elections are
to be incorporated into next month's white paper, on the lines used by Sir D Wilson at his press conference at the end of November. Mr Foulkes asked about the various allegations made by Mr Martin Lee in his letter to the Prime Minister, mentioning in particular the claim that the 1984 white paper included a commitment to introduce direct elections to Legco in 1988. I showed Mr Foulkes the relevant paragraphs of the 1984 white paper (paras 25 and 46(h). He saw that Mr Lee had quoted from para 25 out of context and in a misleading way.
3. Taking up what I had said about the sharp division of opinion on whether direct elections should be introduced in 1988, Mr Foulkes said he supposed that even if Mr Lee was right. in: his view that signature campaigns should be counted in the same way as printed letters, there would still be a considerable body of opinion opposed to 1988. I confirmed that that was the case.
4. Again at Mr Foulkes request, I explained the present situation over the drafting of the Basic Law, including the position reached over direct elections (Mr Foulkes had been briefed about the Chinese position some time ago by the Chinese Ambassador). I gave him a copy of a translation of the latest version of the draft of the chapter on the political system, pointing to the fact that the various options for elections to the legislature of the future SAR all included an element of direct elections. I added that while the drafting of the basic law was a matter for the Chinese we had an interest in ensuring that it accorded fully with the terms of the Joint Declaration.
CONFIDENTIAL