TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 51

CP 800

SECRET

SECRET

RECO

FM HONG KONG 150910Z FEB 84

TELEGRAM NUMBER 397 OF 15 FEBRUARY

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

(52)

57

3 see @

HKCK 01113

EISTRY

16 FEB 1984

INDEX

7.

NO

вит

奶

MY TELNO 369 AND YOUR TELNO 269: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WORKING PAPER ON CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

STRUCTURES.

1. I DISCUSSED THIS PAPER WITH EXCO AT THE PART 11 MEETING THIS MORNING. MEMBERS' ATTENTION WAS MAINLY FOCUSSED ON PARA 11 (''MEMBERSHIP OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE SELECTED BY AN ELECTIVE PROCESS'').

Redacted under

FOI exemption

40 and 41

ARGUED STRONGLY THAT AT LEAST ONE THIRD OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TWO COUNCILS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED. HE TOOK THE VIEW THAT THE CHINESE WOULD SEEK TO MANIPULATE ELECTIONS AND THAT WHOLLY ELECTED COUNCILS WOULD BE PREY TO FACTIONALISM. IN CONSEQUENCE THE POSITION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WOULD BE UNDERMINED. THE RETENTION OF A SUBSTANTIAL APPOINTED ELEMENT WOULD INDUCE STABILITY. HE PROPOSED THAT THE EXISTING SENTENCE SHOULD BE AMENDED SY INSERTING MAINLY*' OR ''LARGELY'' BEFORE SELECTED!", AND THAT A SECOND SENTENCE SHOULD BE ADDED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ONE THIRD OF THE MEMBERSHIP WOULD CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED.

2.

WHO ALSO HAD DOUBTS ABOUT PARA 10 AND 11 ON

THE GROUNDS THAT WE MIGHT BE OVER-COMMITTING OURSELVES, BUT DID NOT PRESS THE POINT. OTHERS, AND PARTICULARLY

EXPRESSED

STRONG OPPOSITION, ARGUING THAT IT WAS RIGHT TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF ELECTIONS AND THAT THE RETENTION OF APPOINTED MEMBERS

WOULD DISCOURAGE PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT CALIBRE FROM STANDING FOR

ELECTION. IN SUPPORTING

OTHER MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY

WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POWER WHICH THE RIGHT TO APPOINT

MEMBERS WOULD GIVE TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND DISAGREED WITH.

VIEW THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S POSITION WOULD BE STRENGTHENED IF HE HAD SUCH APPOINTMENTS IN HIS GIFT. THEY THOUGHT

IT WOULD MAKE HIM MORE VULNERABLE TO PRESSURE FROM PEKING.

PROPOSAL.

3. I SAID THAT I SAW A NUMBER OF DANGERS IN AT PRESENT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE TWO COUNCILS WERE APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE. IF WE WANTED TO FORESTALL POSSIBLE

CHINESE PROPOSALS THAT THEY SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY PEKING WE HAD

TO SUGGEST AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD: HENCE THE REFERENCE TO **AN

ELECTIVE PROCESS, WHICH DID NOT INVOLVE ANY COMMITMENT AS TO THE NATURE OF THAT PROCESS. WITHOUT SUCH A REFERENCE IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO RESPOND TO CHINESE QUESTIONS AS TO OUR INTENTIONS REGARDING ELECTIONS, AND WE WOULD BE VERY VULNERABLE TO CHINESE LEAKS TO THE EFFECT THAT WE WERE NOT INFAVOUR OF DEMOCRACY AND

HAD MADE NO PROPOSALS FOR ELECTIONS IN THE TALKS. I UNDERSTOOD

CONCERNS. HOWEVER THE FIRST SENTENCE OF PARA 16

WAS INTENDED AS A SAVING CLAUSE TO COVER WHATEVER WE DECIDED TO

DO IN THE PERIOD UP TO 1997.

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14.