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SECRET
SECRET
HICK 011/3
22 MAR 1984
DESK OPTIONS
FM HONG KONG 22091OZ MAR 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 778 OF 22 MARCH
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
по !!! П
Кев
MIPT: DRAFT EXCO MEMORANDUM: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT.
1. THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS SHOULD BE INSERTED AS PARAS 6 AND 7 IN THE MEMORANDUM IN MY TELNO 682 AND THE FOLLOWING PARAS RENUMBERED ACCORDINGLY.
QUOTE
6. ANY SYSTEM BASED ON ELECTIONS WILL BRING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE POLITICAL LIFE IN HONG KONG. POLICY IS AT PRESENT FORMED THROUGH CONSENSUS POLITICS''. INTRODUCING ELECTIONS AT THE LEVEL OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (AND BY EXTENSION TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL) WILL LEAD TO THE EMERGENCE OF SOME CANDIDATES WHO WILL SEEK SUPPORT ON THE BASIS OF A REFORMIST PROGRAMME INVOLVING CRITICISM OF THE GOVERNMENT AND OF THE ESTABLISHED GROUPS WHO AT PRESENT WIELD ECONOMIC POWER. OTHER CANDIDATES WILL EMERGE TO DEFEND ESTABLISHED POSITIONS AND RIGHTS. ELECTIONS MAY WELL BE CONTESTED ON THE BASIS OF DIFFERENT VIEWS ON CENTRAL POLICY ISSUES. IN THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MEMBERS MAY BECOME LESS PRONE TO SEEK CONSENSUS AND MORE PRONE TO ADVERSORIAL DEBATE. AT THE SAME TIME, GIVEN THE GENERAL RECOGNITION IN HONG KONG OF THE TERRITORY'S DELICATE POSITION IN RELATION TO CHINA, THE WISH OF THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AS A MEANS OF SUSTAINING AUTONOMY MAY WELL ACT AS A BRAKE ON THE AMBITIONS OF POLITICAL EXTREMISTS AND WEAKEN SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO SEEK TO ''ROCK THE BOAT.''
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