211104Z
REFERRED TO MR RICKETTS FOR DISTRIBUTION ADVICE LNMDAN 9168 PEHPAN 1463
SECRET
DD 2 115Z FCOLN
FM PEKIN TO FCOLN 211037Z JUL
GRS 1449
SECRET
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 R MCLAREN,
VISITING
CHANGING THE ROLE OF
HONG KONG TELNO 1912: THE POLITICAL AGENDA: 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
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. SIR R MCLAREN (CURRENTLY ON MTL BRIEFING ROUND IN LONDON) WILL NO DOUBT ALSO HAVE VIEWS.
THE
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 FUTURE RATHER THAN SIMPLY HAVING ''GONE OVER TO THE CHINESE'' CRC ALSO HAVE CREDIBILITY WITH THE CHINESE WHO APPROVE OF THEIR INCLUSION IN EXCO. WE ALSO AGREE WITH THE CONCLUSION IN PARAS 4 AND 5 THAT THE INCLUSION OF UDHK MEMBERS IN EXCO WOULD DO LITTLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT. IT WOULD CERTAINLY PRODUCE A SEVERE REACTION FROM THE CHINESE.
5.
THE CONCEPT OF A DE-POLITICISED EXCO INTRODUCED IN PARA 6 OF TUR IS ONE WHICH THE CHINESE SHOULD IN THEORY WELCOME SINCE IT WOULD APPEAR TO MOVE TOWARDS AN EXCO WHICH COULD BE RELIED UPON TO PROVIDE GENUINE SUPPORT TO THE EXECUTIVE. WE AGREE THAT SUCH AN EXCO SHOULD FULFIL THE PURPOSE IN 2 (A) OF TUR BUT BE EVEN LESS CERTAIN TO PROVIDE 2(B) THAN THE CURRENT EXCO. IT IS NOT FOR US TO