TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 161

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TOPICOPY

My Klonsk

137

You shred see this and the dayt

FUTURE EGRET Green Paperat (135), amoy

HICK

pepis.

23430 - 1

Тань

011/3

HECEIVED IN REGISTR

4 JUN 1984

other

DD 020100Z HONG KONG

GRS 1104

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FUTURE EGRET

DESKBY 02010OZ

FM FCO 011635Z MAY 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 986 OF 1 JUNE

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

FOR GOVERNOR FROM CLIFT

132

FUTURE EGRET: PEKING TELNO 1003:

INC

Jah

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

1.

I TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT TIMING, AND AM CONTENT WITH THE PROPOSAL IN PARAGRAPH 3 OF TUR. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ARRANGE FOR

MINISTERS TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSALS ON 13 JUNE BUT IN THAT CASE, WE SHOULD NEED A REVISED DRAFT BY 6 JUNE. PRESUMABLY EXCO WOULD

THEN DISCUSS THE PAPER ON 19 OR 20 JUNE..

2.

YOU MAY WISH TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS INTO ACCOUNT IN

CONSIDERING A RE-DRAFT. WE UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT THAT THE

PROPOSITIONS IN THE PAPER SHOULD BE THOSE ENDORSED BY EXCO IN

THEIR EARLIER DISCUSSION.

BUT WE SUGGEST NEVERTHELESS THAT IT

MIGHT BE EXPEDIENT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT RATHER MORE FULLY THE

FACT THAT CALLS FOR DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG HAVE MOUNTED IN THE RECENT PAST, BOTH IN THE TERRITORY AND IN WESTMINSTER. SUCH CALLS WERE A MAJOR THEME IN THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND (TO A LESSER EXTENT) IN THE HOUSE OF LORD. 3. MINISTERS RESPONDED BY REFERRING APPROVINGLY TO THE DEVELOPMENTS ALREADY UNDER WAY AND WE SHOULD EXPECT THEM TO MAINTAIN THE VIEW THAT A GRADUAL APPROACH, BASED ON EXISTING INSTITUTIONS, SHOULD BE ADOPTED. BUT PRESENTATIONALLY WE WONDER WHETHER THE PAPER SHOULD NOT CONTAIN MORE DISCUSSION OF THIS

POINT. WE REALISE THE DELICACY OF THE QUESTION OF DEGREES OF

'DEMOCRACY', PARTICULARLY WITH CHINESE REACTIONS IN MIND. NEVERTHELESS THE PROS AND CONS OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO MIGHT BE ARGUED OUT IN A MORE DEVELOPED FORM THAN IN PARAGRAPH 27 OF

THE DRAFT.

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1

FUTURE EGRET