SECRET
ADVANC
034423
MDADAN 0461
SECRET
FM
HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 20090OZ FCO
TELNO 1912
OF 200725Z JULY 92
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HO
THE POLITICAL AGENDA: CHANGING THE
AND THE LEGISLATIVE ARRANGEMENTS I
1 I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH KEY OFFIC
WAY AHEAD BOTH ON CHANGES TO EXCO
ARRANGEMENTS. THIS TELEGRAM SETS
WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WIT
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
вок
Quick comment likel Chinese attinde to te
'hinge'? (Para 7) Googled wit "accountability" (para 8) Could be hard for Herm
fe to swallow?
2. EXCO HAS IN THE PAST SERVED TWO MAIN PURPOSES:
1E
ง
Jala
A. TO GIVE THE GOVERNOR QUALITY ADVICE DRAWN FROM THE COMMUNITY:
AND
B. TO PROVIDE A MEASURE OF POLITICAL COVER, AND SUPPORT IN LEGCO, FOR GOVERNMENT DECISIONS AND POLICIES.
3. THE PRESENT EXCO DOES NOT SERVE EITHER PURPOSE, DUE IN NO SMALL MEASURE TO THE CHANGING NATURE OF LEGCO. THE FACT THAT A
BLOC OF EXCO MEMBERS BELONG TO THE CO-OPERATIVE RESOURCES CENTRE
(CRC) HAS MEANT THAT THE ADVICE GIVEN BY THEM IS PARTISAN. THEY
DO NOT DELIVER CONSISTENT LEGCO SUPPORT FOR OUR POLICIES AND
DECISIONS. CRC MEMBERS, AND INDEED OTHER LEGCO MEMBERS IN EXCO, HAVE BEEN FLOUTING THE CONVENTIONS OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY. MORE RECENTLY, THE CRC MEMBERS ON EXCO
HAVE MORE OR LESS GONE OVER TO THE CHINESE SIDE. EXCO THUS HAS
LITTLE CREDIBILITY, EITHER IN THE COMMUNITY OR WITHIN THE
ADMINISTRATION. IT IS NO LONGER A BODY IN WHICH STRATEGY VIS-A-
VIS CHINA CAN BE DISCUSSED. THE SITUATION HAS TO CHANGE.
4 IN EXAMINING THE OPTIONS FOR CHANGE, I HAVE CONSIDERED WHETHER THERE WOULD BE ANY MERIT IN INTRODUCING OTHER ELEMENTS FROM LEGCO
INTO EXCO, IN PARTICULAR UDHK. WHILE IT WOULD NO DOUBT APPEAR MORE DEMOCRATIC, I THINK THAT OPTION HAS A NUMBER OF FUNDAMENTAL FLAWS, AT ANY RATE IF THE CONCEPT OF AN EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT IS TO MEAN ANYTHING.
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