DD 10010OZ HONG KONG
GRS 580
SECRET
DESKBY 100100Z
FM FCO 09130OZ FEB 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
SECRET
TELEGRAM NUMBER 243 OF 9 FEBRUARY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
K
HKK 011/3
137EB 1984
18905
1
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YOUR TELNOS 319 AND 338: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WORKING PAPER ON
CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES
ها
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1. WE AIM TO GET THE AGREED PAPER (TAKING ACCOUNT
OF THE COMMENTS IN PEKING TELNO 199 AND YOUR TELNO 308)
TO YOU IN TIME FOR YOU TO DISCUSS WITH EXCO ON 15 FEBRUARY.
DEPENDING ON THEIR REACTION WE SHOULD THEREFORE BE ABLE TO
PRESENT IT TO THE CHINESE DURING THE NEXT ROUND.
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2. WE ACCEPT THE NEED TO PREPARE FOR CHINESE QUESTIONING ABOUT
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. HOWEVER WE ARE
NOT CLEAR ABOUT THE EXACT PURPOSE AND DEPTH OF THE FURTHER REVIEW
WHICH YOU PROPOSE TO CONDUCT WITH EXCO AND TO PUT TO MINISTERS.
YOU WILL RECALL THAT IN JANUARY, MINISTERS AGREED WITH EXCO
UNOFFICIALS ON THE GENERAL DIRECTION IN WHICH WE SHOULD PROCEED
BUT MADE CLEAR THAT THE PRECISE PATTERN AND RATE OF
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT WOULD NEED TO BE DECIDED OVER A LONGER
PERIOD. THIS WAS PARTLY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WISH AT THIS STAGE
TO CLOSE OFF THE OPTIONS FOR THE LATER EVOLUTION OF GOVERNMENT
STRUCTURES. WE WOULD THEREFORE SEE DIFFICULTY ABOUT ASKING
MINISTERS TO ENDORSE A MORE DETAILED EXPANSION OF THE PAPER PUT
TO EXCO ON 5 JANUARY.
3. THERE IS ALSO THE PROBLEM THAT IF WE DISCUSS DEVELOPMENTS UP TO 1997 IN DETAIL WITHHINESE, WE RISK GIVING THEM A STATUS
IN THE AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG. DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD WHICH
COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES LATER. THIS POINT MOREOVER
WOULD OBVIOUSLY FALL WITHIN AGENDA ITEM 2, ON WHICH WE ARE STILL
CONSIDERING OUR TACTICS.
4.
NEVERTHELESS WE REALISE THAT THE CHINESE ARE BOUND TO ASK
WHAT WE MEAN IN THE WORKING PAPER BY PROCEDURES IN FORCE AT 1
1
SECRET
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See (50
See (53)
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