TNAG-0589-FCO40-722-Private-visits-of-leading-personalities-from-Hong-Kong-to-UK-1976 — Page 75

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RECORD OF A MEETING BETWEEN THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN

AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, LORD GORONWY-ROBERTS AND SIR YUET-KEUNG KAN,

SENIOR MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HONG KONG HELD AT THE

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ON TUESDAY, 8 JUNE 1976 at 10.30 am

Present:

The Rt Hon The Lord Goronwy-Roberts of Caernarvon

Mr T Duffy

Sir Yuet-Keung Kan

Mr P Bacon

1.

Lord Goronwy-Roberts welcomed Sir Y K Kan and thanked him for his public service in Hong Kong. He then proceeded to out- line the difficulties in the way of normal constitutional progress in Hong Kong and explained that in the United Kingdom there was a wish on the part of many people to see a wider representation in the Legislative Council. Although the Legislative Council already comprised good people, it was thought that there was a need for one or two members who would be broadly representative of the trade unions and of working-class attitudes. In addition, there was perhaps a case for increasing the size of the Legislative Council. There were some people who would like to see somebody of the calibre of Mrs Elliott appointed, who whilst not always discreet in her public expressions, nevertheless undoubtedly had some following in Hong Kong. Lord Goronwy-Roberts invited Sir Y K's views on the question of representation.

2.

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Sir Y K Kan stated that the Governor had taken him into his confidence on the question of widening the representation in LegCo. He himself had seen the need for wider representation as long as 16 years ago and had made a speech on the question within one year of being appointed to the Legislative Council for he saw a need for a wider range of people with different interests to share in the process of government. His view had not changed over the years. He thought it important, however, that any changes should not be such that they could be construed by China as being of a revolutionary nature for he thought that China did not wish to

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