TNAG-0520-FCO40-615-Visit-of-Lord-Goronwy-Roberts--Parliamentary-Under-Secretary-1987 — Page 170

GRS 200

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT/A

CONFIDENTIAL

FILES

FM HONG KONG 170845Z

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No.52

20 JAN1975

HKILO KW0/1

TO IMMEDIATE MANILA TELEGRAM NUMBER

OF 17 JANUARY 1975 INFO IMMEDIATE F C O (PERSONAL FOR HEADS OF HK AND 10 DEPARTMENT AND NEWS DEPARTMENT) AND PEKING (PERSONAL FOR AMBASSADOR)

STATEMENT ISSUED BY G.I.S. IS AS FOLLOWS:-

WE HAVE BEEN ASKED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS CONCERNING LORD GO RONWY-ROBERTS' ANSWER TO A QUESTION AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY CONCERNING WIDER REPRESENTATION IN THE LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL.

2. IN ANSWER, THE MINISTER SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN BRITISH POLICY TO ADVANCE ALL TERRITORIES PROGRESSIVELY IN STAGES TOWARDS SELF-GOVERNMENT AND INDEPENDENCE BUT THAT ANY MOVE TOWARDS GREATER REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT MUST BE A MATTER FOR HONG KONG. HE ALSO EMPHASISED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DID NOT

EXPECT ANYBODY TO MOVE SIMPLY BECAUSE MOVEMENT IS A GOOD THING AND THAT CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT MUST BE RELATED TO ALL MANNER OF CONSIDERATIONS, SOME VERY SENSITIVE INDEED.

3. COMMENTING ON THIS STATEMENT A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE EXTENSION OF ANY ALECTED FORM OF GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT BE LOCAL OR OF A CITY CHARACTER, MUST BE APPROACHED WITH CAUTION IN VIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION OF HONG KONG AND OF OUR GEOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL POSITION, WHICH, AS THE MINISTER SUGGESTED, IS VERY SENSITIVE INDEED. BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT PROGRESS CANNOT BE MADE IN FINDING WAYS AND MEANS FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION IN POLICY THOUGHT AND POLICY MAKING.

MACLEHOSE

HD/HKIOD (4). HD/NEWS DEPT HD/FED

SIR D WATSON

MR WILFORD

MR MALE

CONFIDENTIAL