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PRIME MINISTER
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MR.D.
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Sir P. Craddock.
Mr Donald.
Mr Thomson, FED
Mr Buttows, legal
adviser
Future of Hong Kong: Working Paper on Constitutional Arrangements
N/T
and Central Government Structures
1. In my minute of 9 January I referred to the preparation
of working papers on the key issues relating to Hong Kong's
future and emphasised that they would need very careful study.
My officials have prepared these papers in close co-operation
with Hong Kong and Peking. Mr Luce also discussed them in
general terms at his meeting with the Governor and the Unofficial
Members of EXCO on 17 January.
2.
I now attach a draft working paper on Constitutional
Arrangements and Central Government Structures, which takes into
account the points made at this meeting and subsequent comments
from the Governor and the Ambassador. This paper is one of the
most sensitive that we have had to produce. It places great
emphasis on the continuity of Hong Kong institutions and of their functions, powers and composition after July 1997, whilst recognising that some changes will be necessary as a result of
the removal of colonial links. It stresses that the new SAR should
itself be responsible for choosing its Chief Executive subject to formal agreement by Peking, and that the appointment of other principal officials and members of the Executive and Legislative Councils would be generated internally, in accordance so far as possible with procedures in force immediately prior to July 1997. We cannot at this stage spell out these procedures in detail because it would restrict the nature and extent of democratic change before 1997 and, as you know from separate correspondence on this issue we need to adopt a flexible and forward-looking approach.
3. I should be grateful to know if you are content with the working paper. I shall then ask the Governor to discuss it with the Executive Council. It should be possible for them to do this
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No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.