TNAG-1286-FCO40-16372-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong.-Part-2-of-2-1984 — Page 254

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00 HONG KONG

GRS 425

SECRET

FM FCO 241030Z JULY 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1393 OF 24 JULY

AND TO INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

SECRET

YOUR TELNO 2088: FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

ARRANGEMENTS.

1.

HKK

34338

Soe

011/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

2 5 JUL 1984

DECK OFFICE*

1

275

(83

INDEX

PA

m

CONSTITUTIONAL

WE NOTE THAT A TEXT WAS PUT TO EXCO WITHOUT THE AMENDMENTS PROPOSED IN OUR TELNO 1338. GRATEFUL TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TEXT

THIS WAS.

-

IF

2. IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUING DISAGREEMENT ON PARAGRAPH 4 OF THE DRAFT IN HONG KONG TELNO 1991, IT SEEMS IMPRACTICABLE TO PUT A TEXT TO THE CHINESE DURING THE CURRENT ROUND. IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THE BEST COURSE WOULD PROBABLY BE FOR US TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM WITH THE GOVERNOR, WILSON AND BURROWS AS SOON AS WE ARRIVE IN PEKING TO SEE WHETHER WE CAN AGREE ON A TEXT WHICH MIGHT BE HANDED TO THE CHINESE DURING THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT. 3. WE HAVE BEEN THINKING FURTHER ABOUT THE PROBLEM. SO FAR AS WE UNDERSTAND CHINESE THINKING, IT IS THAT DURING THE YEARS 1993 TO 1997 THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL BRING THE STRUCTURES IN HONG KONG INTO CONFORMITY WITH THE BASIC LAW. OBVIOUSLY, THIS WERE DONE, THE CHINESE WOULD AGREE TO CONTINUITY OF THE STRUCTURE OVER THE TRANSITION. IF WE ALSO AGREE TO JOINT SELECTION OF PERSONNEL, THEY MIGHT PERHAPS ALSO AGREE TO SOME CONTINUITY OF OFFICERS, THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE OBVIOUS SYMBOLIC ATTRACTIONS TO THEM IN THE EARLY APPOINTMENT OF A NEW ADMINISTRATION IN THE SAR WITH AT LEAST SOME CHANGES. HOWEVER IF WE PUT FORWARD A TEXT CONTAINING A CLAUSE AS IN PARA 4 OF YOUR TELNO 1991 WE SHALL BE INVITING THE CHINESE TO BALANCE IT WITH A CLAUSE TO THE EFFECT THAT WE SHALL BRING THE STRUCTURES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTO LINE WITH THE BASIC LAW BEFORE 1997 AND PROBABLY ALSO AGREE TO JOINT SELECTION OF PERSONNEL. WE ASSUME THAT THIS

WOULD BE UNWELCOME.

;

1

SECRET

/4

4. WE