6 October 1992
IN CONFIDENCE
Foreign &
Commonwealth 23, W23
Office
London SWIA 2AH
Dear Jack,
HONG KONG:
From The Secretary of State
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Chris Patten will be making a wide-ranging policy
speech to Hong Kong's Legislative Council on 7 October. I
wanted to let you know in confidence of the main points he will be making on constitutional issues in advance of the
speech.
Hong Kong has changed rapidly in recent years. There is now much more political awareness. Hong Kong's political system has already evolved a long way in the direction of democracy. In considering the next steps in that evolution, Chris Patten has canvassed views on all sides, but particularly among the people of Hong Kong. They must make the system work, and live with the
consequences. His conclusion, which the Government
endorse, is that changes are now needed:
- for effective and accountable government;
- to make the electoral system more democratic and fair;
and
to maximise the chances of continuity through 1997 by exploiting to the full the flexibility available within
the Basic Law.
Dr Jack Cunningham MP
IN CONFIDENCE