TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 19

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2 mind

3/2. delayed

be

be

might that this men.

be on 18 July. I hope that it need not be

be

On the longer term question of what form of Governorship

4 up to 1997 would best suit our interests and Hong Kong's, we

5 clearly need to get our own thinking straight, not merely because

6 there will be questions about this in Hong Kong when the Green

7 Paper is published but also because it will affect our negotiation

8 of a satisfactory formula in the agreement for the position of

9 the Chief Executive after 1997. As you have pointed out, it is

10 common ground between us that we should aim at an elective process

11 for the Chief Executive of the SAR. What is still under debate

12 is whether we can lay the groundwork for that by installing an 13 elected Governor before 1997 and how HMG's position would be 14 sufficiently protected in such circumstances.

15 3.

I am suggesting to Ministerial colleagues that they should 16 have a first discussion of this question on 27 June. I shall 17 send you a copy of the paper which I am circulating to them. 18 Briefly it emphasises the value to us of getting an elective 19 process for the future Chief Executive established before 1997 in

20 the interests of continuity. However it notes the importance of 21 ensuring that HMG should not be left without the means of exer 22 cising their responsibility in Hong Kong if necessary. It 23 rejects the idea of attempting to do this simply by maintaining 24 an appointed British Governor in Hong Kong up to the end. It 25 emphasises the Governor's preference for an elected Governor with

reservation of powers to HMG but suggests that further consider-

ation should be given to the alternatives of a system of an 28 elected Chief Executive under the appointed Governor and of an 29 elected Governorship with a Sino-British joint group providing 30 a

measure of stability.

26

27

31 4.

I am also putting to colleagues a note on how we should deal 32 with Item 2, in particular the question of the joint group.

33 Again a copy of the paper will be sent to you and to the Governor.

34 The conclusion is that we should consider very carefully the

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