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ANOTHER COULD BE TO INVENT FOR ONCE-OFF USE A MORE DIRECTLY
REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM. I AM NOT OF COURSE THINKING OF A
REFERENDUM, WHICH I DO NOT SEE THE CHINESE ACCEPTING. BUT IF
THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT CANVASSING THEIR 'MINI-CONSTITUTION' AMONG
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WE OUGHT TO ENSURE (A) THAT THE HONG
KONG GOVERNMENT AND HMG ARE PROPERLY ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND (B)
THAT IT GETS A PROPER HEARING. I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR
VIEWS ON THIS.
3.
IN THE LONGER TERM, WE FEEL THAT FURTHER CONSIDERATION IS
NEEDED ON THE IDEA OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO. WE QUITE
UNDERSTAND THE SENSITIVITY OF THIS ISSUE IN HONG KONG BUT,
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE, THERE COULD WELL BE ADVANTAGE TO US IN
DEVELOPING OUR AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM CLEARLY BASED ON THE POPULAR
WILL. THIS WOULD BE THE MOST CONVINCING ARRANGEMENT IN THE EYES
OF PARLIAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL OPINION. WE MUST NOT ALLOW THE
CHINESE TO STEAL OUR CLOTHES AND POSE AS CHAMPIONS OF GREATER
DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG. WE TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE RISK OF
FACTIONAL DISPUTE BETWEEN COMMUNISTS AND THE KMT. BUT WE DOUBT
THAT THIS WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN THE RISK IN THE
ELECTIONS FOR DISTRICT BOARDS/REGIONAL COUNCILS. DIRECT ELECTION
OF THE GOVERNOR WHICH YOU ARE PROPOSING IN YOUR SECOND TUR WOULD
OBVIOUSLY BE JUST AS RISKY.
4.
WE WONDER THEREFORE IF THE SEQUENCE IN PARAGRAPH OF SECOND
TUR COULD BE AMENDED BROADLY AS FOLLOWS:
(I)
EXTENSION OF REGIONAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO WHOLE TERRITORY
(AND PHASING OUT APPOINTED MEMBERS) SEMI COLON
(II) COLLEGIATE ELECTIONS TO LEGCO AND COLLEGIATE ELECTION OF
GOVERNOR
(III) DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO, FOLLOWED POSSIBLY BY DIRECT
ELECTION OF GOVERNOR.
5.
I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THESE POINTS,
IF POSSIBLE BY 19 DECEMBER. WE WOULD LIKE TO LET MINISTERS KNOW
BEFORE CHRISTMAS THE LINES ALONG WHICH YOU ARE THINKING. WE SEE
NO REASON WHY THIS SHOULD DELAY YOUR DRAFTING A PAPER FOR
SUBMISSION TO MINISTERS HERE. IT WOULD MEANWHILE BE USEFUL IF YOU
COULD HAVE A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION WITH EXCO WITHOUT COMMITMENT
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