SECRET
SECRET
A p.a. Constitut. Derpt
637741
MDHIAN 2/21
TOP COPY
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HKB 012/2
FM PEKING
TO DESKBY 211115Z FCO
TELNO 1054
OF 211037Z JULY 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
FCO PERSONAL FOR RICKETTS, HKD
HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR
UKREP JLG HONG KONG PERSONAL FOR GALSWORTHY
HKD PLEASE PASS TO SIR RMCLAREN, VISITING
167 MCL
HONG KONG TELNO 1912: THE POLITICAL AGENDA: CHANGING THE ROLE OF EXCO, AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LEGCO ELECTIONS IN 1995.
SUMMARY
1. A BOLD PROPOSAL. THE CHINESE WILL INSTINCTIVELY DISLIKE THE PROSPECT OF RADICAL CHANGE. THEY WILL NEED TIME TO DIGEST THE SUBSTANCE OF THE PROPOSAL. ANY ATTEMPT TO BOUNCE THEM WILL BE LIKELY TO PROVOKE A SHARP REACTION, REGARDLESS OF THE MERITS OF THE CASE.
DETAIL
2.
THE PROPOSALS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE REPRESENT A BOLD ATTEMPT TO BREAK OUT OF THE DEADLOCK RESULTING FROM PRESSURE IN HONG KONG AND ELSEWHERE FOR GREATER DEMOCRACY AND THE
COUNTERVAILING CHINESE WISH TO AVOID ANY REDUCTION IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PRESENT HKG OR THE CREATION OF DIFFICULTIES FOR THE WORK OF THE FUTURE SARG.
3.
THE AGENDA OUTLINED IN TUR REPRESENTS IN PART A RADICAL CHANGE IN POLICY WHICH WILL NEED TIME TO BE DIGESTED THOROUGHLY. OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS FOLLOW IN TWO SECTIONS: THE FIRST, DEALING WITH DELINKING EXCO AND LEGCO AND CREATING A HINGE BODY': AND THE SECOND, DEALING WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS. R MCLAREN (CURRENTLY ON MTL BRIEFING ROUND IN LONDON) WILL NO DOUBT
ALSO HAVE VIEWS.
SIR
4 =
WE AGREE WITH THE ANALYSIS IN PARAS 2-3 OF TUR THOUGH WE THINK THE CRC WOULD MORE LIKELY REGARD THEMSELVES AS WORKING TOWARD THE