TNAG-1220-FCO40-1530-Democratic-representation-and-reform-in-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 46

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Mr Clift, Hong Kong Dept

Hong Kong

The Secretary of State has seen your submission of 16 December about constitutional development in Hong Kong.

He has commented that there is obviously a lot to be sorted out before we can submit any papers on this to the Chinese. It will be necessary to take account of views of Ministers as well as views in Hong Kong, in addition to those of the Governor and Sir P Cradock.

The Secretary of State has noted that there are a number of different motivations behind the drive for constitutional development:

(a)

(b)

growing public demand;

the need to create democratic road blocks against Chinese interference;

(c) the need to provide a test of acceptability in Hong Kong.

Each of these has a different timescale with (c) obviously the most urgent.

The Secretary of State also feels that we need to be clear whether we are creating systems and proposing changes to affect:

(a) the period before the test of acceptability is applied;

(b)

(c)

pre-1997;

post-1997.

We need to consider these points in a way which does not oblige us necessarily to freeze the process of change at any given point in time.

The Secretary of State has commented that he has some sympathy with the important points made by Sir P Cradock in his telno 1360 relating in particular to the selection and appointment of the Governor.

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