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HMG and the Hong Kong Government have given in to pressure from the
This Chinese on the timing of the introduction of direct elections.
has set a bad precedent for the future development of representative government and has undermined the credibility of the British
administration.
No options have been excluded from the 1987 Review. All the options are real ones. We have made it clear that the Review is a matter for the Hong Kong and British Governments: it is not a matter for the Chinese Government, although we have naturally kept them
informed of developments.
In considering the development of representative government in Hong Kong our primary concern has been the interests of Hong Kong and its people. That will remain true so long as Britain has responsibility for Hong Kong. Those who try to argue that we and the Hong Kong Government are in some way subservient to the wishes of Peking in this matter have totally misread the situation. They are also doing the British administration in Hong Kong a grave
injustice. It must be right that the decisions which are to be taken on such an important issue take account of all the relevant
factors: the wishes and aspirations of the community as a whole and
the inevitable realities that flow from the Joint Declaration and
the special circumstances of Hong Kong.
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