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4. THE ELECTED GOVERNOR WOULD NOT BECOME COMMANDER IN CHIEF. IF HMG DECIDED TO LEAVE BRITISH FORCES IN HONG KONG THEY WOULD BE UNDER THE COMMAND OF A COMMANDER BRITISH FORCES DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO HMG WHO COULD BE INSTRUCTED TO USE THOSE FORCES IN ANY WAY HMG WISHED. AGAIN, IN EXTREMIS, HE COULD BE APPOINTED UNDER THE EMERGENCY POWERS TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTERNAL SECURITY.
5. A THIRD ASSURANCE IS THAT THERE IS IN HONG KONG A WELL ESTABLISHED SYSTEM OF COURTS TO WHICH RECOURSE COULD BE HAD BY ANYONE WHO BELIEVED THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, OR THE ADMINISTRATION, HAD EXCEEDED ITS POWERS, OR ACTED UNCONSTITUTIONALLY.
6. AS REGARDS RELATIONS WITH CHINA, THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY HAS LEARNT TO LIVE WITH THE CHINESE OVER A LONG PERIOD OF YEARS, AND COULD BE EXPTECTED TO BE EVEN MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED NOT TO INCUR THE WRATH OF PEKING BY ACTING IN A MANNER INCONSISTENT WITH THE INTERESTS OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS WHEN THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY WAS SO CLOSE. IN OTHER WORDS THE RISKS TO HMG OF HAVING RESPONSIBILITY WITHOUT A GOVERNOR ACCOUNTABLE ONLY TO THEM ARE NOT LARGE, AND OUGHT TO BE ACCEPTED TO SECURE THE GREATER OBJECTIVE OF ROOTING POLITICAL POWER, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
7. I HAVE COVERED THE QUESTION OF HOW WE SECURE CHINESE ACQUIESCENCE ETC IN PARAS 16 TO 19 OF MY TELNO 1673.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
SIR W HARDING
COPIES TO:- SIR P CRADOCK MR BURROWS
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