TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 132

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itself

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

>rocedures 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

lexible and forward-looking approach.

I should be grateful to know if you are content with

:he working paper. I shall then ask the Governor to

iscuss it with the Executive Council. It should be

ossible for them to do this at their meeting on 15

'ebruary. We might be able to present it to the Chinese

before the next round of talks on 22 February. I should

not expect the Chinese, who will study this paper with

articular care, to be ready with very substantive

omments at that round. But I judge that we should do

ell to get our views in quickly on this key question.

I am copying this minute and draft working paper to

he other members of OD(K) and to Sir Robert Armstrong.

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