TNAG-0733-FCO40-937-Inquiries-on-democracy-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 13

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(5

M

Jen

Mr Thompson

AKK

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

RECEIVED A RECISTAY NO. 51

INDEK

•

8 DE 1978

London SW1A 2AH

REC STAY

December 1978

Action Tert

DESK OFFICE

Non Elit No

非

GA

Thank you for your letter of 16 October in which you renewed the proposals for changes in the political organisation of Hong Kong made in your letter of 24 June to Lord Goronwy- Roberts. I am sorry you have not received an earlier reply: your letter appears to have gone astray in the post and we only received a copy of it very recently.

There is little I can add to the letter which Lord Goronwy-

Roberts sent to you on 1 August in reply to your earlier letter. As Lord Goronwy-Roberts said then, the British Government would like to see moves towards a more representative system of govern- ment in Hong Kong. Frecisely what steps would be appropriate,

and when would be the right time to introduce them must be a matter of judgement, having regard to the special political circumstances of Hong Kong as well as to the wishes of those who live there. The situation is not static, and I can assure you that we and the Hong Kong Government do keep these matters under regular review. In doing so, however, our over-riding concern must be to maintain the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong, on which the welfare of its people depend.

In the meantime, I think you do rather less than justice to the very real progress which has been made in Hong Kong in housing, education, social welfare and many other fields over the

last decade. As the Governor made clear in his address at the

opening session of the Legishtive Council on 11 October, this extensive and important programme of developments will continue in the years to come and the Hong Kong Government will have the full support and encouragement of the British Government in carrying it out.

Mrs Elsie Elliott CBE

Dr Denny Huang

Mr Tsin Sai-Nin

(DAVID OWEN)