TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 67

GR 300 SECRET

SEORET

FM HONG KONG 13102OZ FEB 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 372 OF 13 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

ck 8.11.3.

53

Sex 56

14 FEB 1984

DES

No

Пик

YOUR TELNO 243: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

1. I DOUBT IF THE POINTS WHICH YOU MAKE IN PARA 5 OF YOUR TELEGRAM UNDER REFERENCE WILL GO FAR ENOUGH. THE CHINESE ARE QUITE

LIKELY TO DECLINE TO CONFIRM THAT THEY WOULD PRESERVE UNCHANGED WHAT WE WOULD LEAVE BEHIND IN 1997 (PARA 16 OF OUR WORKING PAPER) WITHOUT SOME IDEA OF THE WAY IN WHICH WE PROPOSE TO PROCEED. OTHERWISE THEY WOULD BE GIVING US A BLANK CHEQUE. THEY MIGHT PARTICULARLY FEAR THAT WE WILL SUDDENLY SPRING DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO ON THEM AS OUR NEXT MOVE FOLLOWING THE DECISION TO ESTABLISH THE ADDITIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL.

2. WE MUST IN ANY CASE CONSIDER WHAT OUR NEXT MOVE WILL BE. WE SHALL BE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE TO GIVE SOME INDICATION OF OUR PLANS FOR LEGCO. MOREOVER I SHALL THIS YEAR BE APPOINTING MEMBERS WHO SERVE UP TO 1986 AND NEXT YEAR UP TO 1987. IN MAKING. THESE APPOINTMENTS I MUST HAVE IN MIND ANY CHANGES IN METHOD OF SELECTION OR COMPOSITION WHICH WE MIGHT WISH TO MAKE IN THOSE

YEARS.

3. WE SHALL THEREFORE NEED TO CONSIDER THE NEXT STAGE IN THE REASONABLY NEAR FUTURE. BUT I RECOGNISE THAT IT WILL NOT BE PRACTICABLE TO PRODUCE A PAPER FOR EXCO AND MINISTERS TO CONSIDER BEFORE THE ROUND ON MARCH 8 AND 9. I PROPOSE THEREFORE TO SEND YOU BY THE END OF THIS WEEK THE DRAFT OF A BRIEF FROM WHICH THE DELEGATION MIGHT SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE AT THE MARCH SESSIONS IN PEKING. I WOULD THEN CIRCULATE IT TO EXCO NEXT WEEK IN TIME FOR A DISCUSSION AT THE

TIME OF MR LUCE'S VISIT. YOUDE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LILAITED

HD/HKD

ED/FED

ED/PLANNING STAFF

ED/PUSD

D/ED/PUSD (MR FLOWER)

PES.B. (MR WALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

FS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/R LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR J BULLARD

SIR W HARDING

KR DONALD

MR WRIGHT

SIR C TICKELL

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVS

MR COLES NO 10 DOWNING ST

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFIC

MR GOODALL CABINET OFFICE

MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK RM K195

SECRETBIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET