GRS 300
SECRET
DESKBY 18080OZ
FM HONG KONG 180455Z JUN 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCD
Mis Khayak
SECRET
HKCK
011/3.
01113
TOP COPY
19 JUN 1984
168
HADEX
PA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1652 OF 18 JUNE
NO
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
RY
on Taken
FOR CRADOCK FROM GOVERNOR : YOUR TELNO 1094 FUTURE EGRET
161
1. I CAN SEE THAT MINISTERS MIGHT WISH TO CONSIDER THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) TIMING OF ANY ANNOUNCEMENT ON AN ELECTED GOVERNOR AND WHETHER IT WOULD BE BEST TO GET INDIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO AND EXCO IN OUR PACKET BEFORE WE GET ON TO THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR:
AND THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO HAVE A FULLER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CHANGES IN HIS POWERS MIGHT AFFECT HNG'S RESPONSIBILITIES AFTER 1997
BEFORE WE GO PUBLIC ON THIS ASPECT,
2. HOWEVER, IT WOULD BE A VERY SERIOUS STEP INDEED TO GIVE ANY INDICATION THAT MINISTERS WERE NOW CONSIDERING WITHDRAWING FROM GIVING HONG KONG THE OPTION OF ELECTING THEIR GOVERNOR DURING THE PERIOD OF HMG'S RESPONSIBILITY UNLESS SPECIFIC CHINESE AGREEMENT
TO THIS CAN BE OBTAINED (IE THE CHINESE WOULD BE GIVEN A VETO). THIS WERE TO BE THE CASE I WOULD NOT ANSWER FOR THE REACTION IN EXCO, AND MORE WIDELY. I TRUST THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT IS PROPOSED.
1F
3. I WILL COMMENT ON YOUR TUR AFTER THE EXCO MEETING ON JUNE 19. THE IMMEDIATE QUESTION IS WHAT I SHOULD SAY TO EXCO AT THAT MEETING. UNLESS I HEAR FROM YOU TO THE CONTRARY DESKBY 18233OZ I PROPOSE
TO SAY:
A) THE DRAFT GREEN PAPER HAS NOT YET BEEN CONSIDERED BY MINISTERS: B) THEY ARE LIKELY TO WISH TO CONSIDER FURTHER THE WISDOM OF INCLUDING THE SECTION ON THE GOVERNOR AT THIS STAGE BOTH BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THIS ISSUE IN THE TALKS: AND BECAUSE THEY WISH TO CONSIDER MORE FULLY WHAT EFFECT THE CHANGES PROPOSED WOULD HAVE ON HNG'S POWERS TO MAINTAIN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997: C) THERE WILL BE A FURTHER DISCUSSION IN EXCO ON THIS ISSUE AS SOON AS MINISTERS HAVE CONSIDERED THE MATTER IN THE LIGHT OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE COUNCIL.
YOUDE
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
MR WILSON
SECRET
COPIES TO:-
MR BURROWS LEGAL ADVISERS
SIR P CRADOCK
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