TNAG-1283-FCO40-1635-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 98

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GEORET

HKCK 011/3

RECEIVED

-

STR: - 8 FEB 1984

(40).

GRS 400

SECRET

FM HONG KONG 08083OZ FEB 84

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 319 OF 8 FEBRUARY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

по

Пик

KEB

See (45)

see 116 040/4

}

MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: WORKING PAPER ON CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES.

1. MIPT SUGGESTS THAT WE MIGHT TABLE THE WORKING PAPER ON

CONSTATUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ETC ON THE SECOND DAY OF THE 9TH

ROUND ASSUMING IT COULD BE GOT READY IN TIME. FOR THIS PURPOSE

I WOULD NEED TO PUT THE PAPER TO EXCO BEFORE THE WEEKEND.

THE STATEMENT WE WOULD MAKE IN INTRODUCING THE PAPER NEED NOT

NECESSARILY BE LONG BUT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT AND I WOULD

WISH TO DISCUSS IT WITH ECO BEFOREHAND. I WOULD DO THIS AT THE

SAME PART 11 MEETING ON 15 FEBRUARY. IF YOU THINK THIS IS PRACTICABLE

I COULD TELEGRAPH A DRAFT BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.

2. WE WILL ALSO NEED TO PREPARE CAREFULLY FOR SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION

OF THE PAPER. IN PARTICULAR WE WILL NEED TO DECIDE HOW TO RESPOND

TO CHINESE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT FURTHER CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

WE ENVISAGE BETWEEN NOW AND 1997, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF ELECTIONS. WE CANNOT DECIDE ON HOW TO DO THIS UNTIL THERE HAS BEEN

FURTHER CONSIDERATION BOTH IN HONG KONG AND LONDON OF THE PROPOSED

METHOD OF CONSTITUTIONAL PROGRESS. FOR THIS PURPOSE I WOULD

NEED TO PUT TO EXCO A FURTHER PAPER DEVELOPING THE IDEAS IN THE

PAPER PUT TO THEM ON 5 JANUARY (MY TELNO 36).

3. IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO ALLOW ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE PROCESS DESCRIBED IN PARA 2 ABOVE. THIS SUGGESTS A TIMETABLE ON

THE FOLLOWING LINES:

29 FEBRUARY (THE FIRST REGULAR PART 11 MEETING AFTER THE 9TH ROUND). NEW CONSTITUTIONAL PAPER DISCUSSED WITH EXCO

29 FEBRUARY TO 6 MARCH EXCO'S VIEWS CONSIDERED BY MINISTERS. DRAFT MATERIAL FOR SUBSTANTIVE DISCUSSION OF CONSTITUTIONAL WORKING PAPER WITH THE CHINESE PREPARED

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