TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 94

GR CDC

SECRET

SECRET

DESKBY FOO 1309002

FM PIKING 1907502 JUN 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1147 OF 19 JUNE

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HKCK ALGEIVEL IN REGT

12 JUL 1984

کی مال ان اصولی مالی

71

Mrs Flowak (101

Coby

161

Ало

!

YOUR TELKO 1094: FUTURE EGRET: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

1. THIS IS CERTAINLY A COMPLICATED QUESTION.

2. 1 TAKE IT THAT OUR AIMS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

(A) TO REMAIN IN EFFECTIVE CHARGE OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997 SEMICOLON

(E) TO AVOID GIVING THE CHINESE ANY IMPRESSION OF THE ABDICATION

OF RESPONSIBILITY SEMICOLON

(C) TO CREATE STRUCTURES CAPABLE OF STANDING UP TO CHINESE

PRESSURE/EROSION AFTER 1997 SEMICOLON AND

(D) TO AVOID ANY SHARP BREAK IN RELATION TO STRUCTURES OR

PERSONNEL IN JUNE/JULY 1997.

3. IT SEEMS THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS TWO MAIN CONCERNS

ABOUT THE PROPOSAL FOR AN ELECTED GOVERNOR :

(A) THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT OPPOSE THE PROPOSAL, BOTH BECAUSE

THEY APPEAR TO PREFER JOINT SELECTION OF THE FIRST SAR CHIEF

EXECUTIVE AND BECAUSE THEY MIGHT SEE THE PROPOSAL AS AN ABDICATION

OF RESPONSIBILITY ON OUR PART. IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MIGHT

NOT BE ABE EFFECTIVELY TO MAINTAIN THE PROPOSAL SEMICOLON AND

(B) THAT A LOCALLY ELECTED GOVERNOR MIGHT BE POLITICALLY

INHIBITED FROM RECOMMENDING OR TAKING STRONGACTION IN THE EVENT OF

UMREST BEFORE 1997.

4. I THINK WE ARE ALL AGREED THAT, TOGETHER WITH AN ELECTED EXCO

AND LEGCO, AN ELECTED GOVERNOR AFTER 1997 WOULD BE BEST FOR HONG

KONG. GIVEN OUR AIMS (SEE PARAGRAPH 2(C) AND (D) ABOVE WE SHOULD

AIM TO ESTABLISH SUCH A SYSTEM BEFORE 1997. I SUGGEST THAT

WE SHOULD THINK IN TERMS OF A TRIPLE APPROACH:

(A) TO AGREE TO THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, WITH STRICTLY DEFINED TERMS OF REFERENCE, BEING ESTABLISHED, IN A MANNER ALSO TO BE STRICTL

Y

DEFINED, IN HONG KONG. THIS WOULD NOT BE AN ENTIRELY NATURAL

TRADE-OFF FOR ACCEPTANCE OF OUR PROPOSAL ABOUT THE GOVERNOR.

BUT, AS YOU POINT OUT, IT MIGHT GIVE THE CHINESE SOME OF THE

CONFIDENCE THEY WILL NEED OF THEY ARE TO ACCEPT IT SEMICOLON

Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)

IN TERMS

OF THE OBJECTIVE IN PARAGRAPH 1(D) ABOVE THERE COULL DE POSITIVE

ADVANTAGE TO OURSELVES IN AGREEING TO THIS SEMICOLON AND WE

MUST LAY THE SPECTRE OF A NEW SET OF FACES WAITING IN THE WINGS.

SECRET

/ ACCEPTANCE