TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 96

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SECRET EGRET

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DD 150100Z HONG KONG

GRS 985

SECRET

FUTURE EGRET

DESKBY 150100Z

FM FCO 141115Z JUN8 4

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1094 OF 14 JUNE

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

FOR GOVERNOR FROM CRADOCK

HKK

011/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

19 JUN 1984

IK OFFICER

No R

PA

YOUR TELNO 469 TO PEKING AND PEKING TELNOS 1094 AND 1110: FUTURE

EGRET: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE

1.

AT AN OFFICE MEETING ON 13 JUNE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S

VIEW WAS THAT SECTIONS IN THE DRAFT GREEN PAPER ON THE METHOD OF

SELECTION AND POWERS OF THE GOVERNOR SHOULD BE OMITTED

AND THAT THE PAPER SHOULD SIMPLY STATE THAT THE QUESTION

OF WHETHER CHANGES WERE REQUIRED TO THE GOVERNOR'S POSITION AFTER THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO EXCO AND LEGCO HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTED WOULD BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER DATE. HE FELT THAT TO PRODUCE DETAILED PROPOSALS AT THIS STAGE WOULD JEOPARDISE THE LIKELIHOOD OF

REACHING AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IN 1997, AND THAT WE SHOULD NEED TO ENSURE THAT ANY PROPOSALS THAT WERE MADE PUBLIC WERE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE.

2.

WE SHALL REVISE OUR PAPER FOR MINISTERS (WHO WILL NOW MEET ON 27 JUNE) TO EXPRESS THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S DOUBTS AND TO RECOMMEND THAT FURTHER CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO HOW WE

ENVISAGE THE GOVERNOR'S ROLE IN THE 1990'S. DEPENDING ON MINISTERS' VIEWS, THAT SHOULD ENABLE THE TRUNCATED GREEN PAPER TO BE CONSIDERED BY EXCO AND PUBLISHED IN EARLY JULY. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW BY 20 JUNE HOW YOU THINK THE DRAFT GREEN PAPER

SHOULD BE AMENDED. WE BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD CAUSE LEAST CONFUSION TO REMOVE PARAGRAPHS 53-63 ALTOGETHER AND REPLACE THEM WITH A STATEMENT THAT THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR WILL NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE LIGHT OF THE CHANGES PROPOSED BUT THAT NO

DECISION CAN BE TAKEN AT THIS STAGE ON SUBSTANCE OR TIMING.

SEE LITTLE POINT IN INCLUDING ODD PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING

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SECRET EGRET