TNAG-1287-FCO40-1638-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 113

209

04/3

GR 300

SECRET

DESKBY 2713OOZ

FM PEKING 271045Z JUN 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

SECRET

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1215 OF 27 JUNE

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

FOLLOWING FROM GOVERNOR

Lkk Oil/3 by

UKK

29 JUN 1984

C

No

YOUR TELNO 1158: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR

IN THE 1990S: PAPER FOR MINISTERS

1. PARA 12 OF THE PAPER IN YOUR TUR DOES NOT (NOT) STATE

MY VIEW CORRECTLY. IT SUGGESTS THAT I AM OPPOSED TO OPTION D

Tee

TO AN IMPORTANT EXTENT. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. OPTION D IN PARA 6 OF YOUR TUR READS A LOCALLY ELECTED GOVERNOR WITH POWERS

RESERVED TO HMG FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND DEFENCE. THIS IS INDEED

THE OPTION I HAVE BEEN ARGUING FOR.

2. OPTION D, HOWEVER, IS THE ONLY OPTION NOT DISCUSSED IN THE

PAPER ON ITS OWN MERITS. IN PARA 10 AN ADDITIONAL ELEMENT

IS INSERTED A CONCESSION TO THE CHINESE ON THE LOCATION OF THE

JOINT GROUP. IT IS ON THE QUESTION OF THE LOCATION OF THE JOINT

GROUP IN HONG KONG, NOT ON OPTION D, THAT I HAVE RAISED OBJECTION.

3. PARA 12 ALSO SUGGESTS THAT THE DIFFICULTY I SEE OVER OPTION C

IS BASED ONLY ON THE RISK OF THE CHINESE TAKING OVER THE GOVERNOR-

SHIP AFTER 1997. I SEE OTHER DIFFICULTIES AMONG WHICH ARE THAT

IT WILL MEAN TRYING TO INTRODUCE A NEW AND COMPLICATED DIVISION

OF CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS BETWEEN A RESIDENT BRITISH GOVERNOR

AND THE ELECTED LOCAL CHIEF MINISTER FOR A PERIOD OF A FEW

YEARS BEFORE 1997.

EVANS

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

ממיר דוד.

PLANNING STAFF

PUSI

D/5D/PUSD

*PES.B. (3R TALKER)

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR J FREELAND)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/R. LUCE

PS/PUS

SER J BULLARD

SIR W HARDING-

YR WILSON

MR. GOODALL

SIR C TICKELL

COPIES TO:

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

PS/LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL PS/HOME SECRETARY

PS/CHANCELLOR OF THE EXOSEQUER

PS/LORD PRIVY SEAL

PS/SECRETARY FOR TRADE & INDUSTRY

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS D

HR BURROWS LEGAL ́ADVS

MR POWELL NO 10 DOWNING STREET

MR MARTIN ASSESSMENT STAFF CABINET OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE CABINET OFFICE

MR BRENNAN CABINET OFFICE

PS/S OF S FOR DEFENCE D

PS/ATTORNEY GENERAL

SIR P CRADOCK EN K195

SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

SECRET