TNAG-0518-FCO40-613-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 43

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GPS

120

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER/CAT A

FM F C O €71415Z

CONFIDENTIAL.

DESKBY @72200Z.

CONFIDENTIAL

M

8 OCT1975

HIKK //6

ごす

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 767 OF 7 OCTOBER.

FROM SIR DUNCAN WATSON.

LAS

งา

40°

YOUR TELS NOS 992 AND 993: MEMBERSHIP OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 1. ON BALANCE, I AM INCLINED TO AGREE WITH YOUR OWN VIEW THAT THE ADVANTAGE LIES IN NOT (REPEAT NOT) MAKING THE STATEMENT IN YOUR SECOND TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE, I APPRECIATE THAT IT IS INTENDED

TO ANTICIPATE AND ENCOURAGE THINKING TOWARDS CHANGE IN THE

SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. 1 AM AFRAID, HOWEVER, THAT THE PROPOSED STATEMENT COULD BE MISINTERPRETED, AT LEAST IN CERTAIN QUARTERS HERE, AS A STATEMENT OF THE REASONS FOR MINIMUM CHANGE (AND VERY CAUTIOUS EVOLUTION): 1 THEREFORE CONCLUDE, LIKE YOU, THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER TO MAKE A STATEMENT AS

AND WHEN ACTION IS TAKEN.

CALLAGHAN

FILES

HD HKIOD

C

LEGAL ADVISERS

MR.MALE SIR-D. WATSON

:

CONFIDENTIAL

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