TNAG-0518-FCO40-613-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 3

COM

RECORD CF A MEETING BETWEEN LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS AND THE GOVERNOR

OF HONG KONG HELD IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON

TUESDAY 2 DECEMBER AT 10.45 am

Those Present:

Lord Goronwy-Roberts

Sir Duncan Watson

Mr Larmour

Mr Male

Mr O'Keeffe

5)

Sir Murray MacLehose

Mr Kidd, Hong Kong Government

Office

Mr Galsworthy

Mr Hurst, Deputy Labour Adviser

на

Mr Milton

Mr Janvrin

нки

нак

16

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

6.

Lord Goronwy-Roberts asked whether there had been any public reaction to the Governor's statement in his Annual Address on possible evolution of the Legislative Council, whether the Governor could give further details of his proposed new members, and whether he felt the move towards open government in Hong Kong was increasing the pressures for a representative system of government. The Governor said that there was interest in his proposals although in his view they were only a continuation of what he had said and done over the preceding two years. He made the point that the success of the new appointments would depend on the calibre of the new members. The changes would be very heavily criticised if they were considered to be a political gimmick. The attitude of existing members to the new arrangements was also important: the new members must be able to play a full part in the work of UMELCO. He said that he was tolerably confident that

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/he could