TNAG-0733-FCO40-937-Inquiries-on-democracy-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 52

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CONFIDENTIAL

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Mr My Cortazzi

PS/Lord Goronwy Roberts to issue

GREATER DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG

HKK 011/8

RECEIVED IN REGIS.RY NO. 51

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3 AUG 1978

DIAK JE.

INDEX

No

PA

Action Taken

CLE

1. Mrs Elsie Elliott and two other elected members of the

Hong Kong Urban Council wrote to Lord Goronwy-Roberts on 24 June deploring the absence of genuine democratic institu- tions in Hong Kong and urging certain changes which they believe

to be necessary to meet the demands, particularly from the younger generation born in Hong Kong, for more participation in government there. They sent copies of their letter to a number of other people, including the Prime Minister, and Mr James Johnson MP, who has forwarded his copy to Lord

Goronwy-Roberts for comments.

2. While there are a number of wild statements and assertions

made in the letter, there are also a number of valid arguments. For example, Mrs Elliott and her colleagues are not the first people to have suggested that the younger generation in Hong Kong will need to be given more say in the running of the Colony. Mr Michael Stewart made this same point in his report on his visit to Hong Kong. Mrs Elliott also, of course, carries some weight in Hong Kong, and has a number of active supporters in this country. We cannot therefore just ignore the letter.

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3. On the other hand, this is an awkward moment to have to comment on recommendations for changes of the sort suggested particularly the first proposal, for reforming LEGCO. To introduce a substantial elected element into LEGCO, as they suggest, would be a fundamental change of the sort we do not want to contemplate at least until we have completed the major re-examination of our Hong Kong policies that is just being started, and probably not until we are certain what the Chinese

CONFIDENTIAL

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/attitude