TNAG-1288-FCO40-1639-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 22

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DD 200100Z HONG KONG

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DESKBY 20010OZ

FM FCO 191630Z NOV 84

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 2291 OF 19 NOVEMBER 1984

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

MIPT: WHITE PAPER ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE

GOVERNMENT: PRESS LINE.

WAS CHINESE GOVERNMENT CONSULTED ABOUT WHITE PAPER?

1. CHINESE GOVERNMENT INFORMED AS A COURTESY SHORTLY BEFORE

PUBLICATION OF WHITE PAPER.

WHY DOES WHITE PAPER NOT CONTAIN PROPOSALS FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS

TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL?

2.

PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSALS CONTAINED IN THE GREEN PAPER

SHOWED LITTLE EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT FOR ANY MOVE TOWARDS DIRECT

ELECTIONS IN 1985. WHILST MANY PEOPLE FAVOURED THE IDEA IN THE

ABSTRACT, FEW WANTED DIRECT ELECTIONS IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. FURTHER CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE QUESTION IN THE REVIEW

TO BE CARRIED OUT IN 1987.

WHY SUCH A GRADUAL APPROACH?

3.

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF GRADUAL AND

PROGRESSIVE PROPOSALS. THEY RECOGNISE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE

PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG ARE NOT PUT AT RISK BY

INTRODUCING TOO MANY CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES TOO RAPIDLY.

REPLACEMENT OF GOVERNOR AS PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL?

4. GENERAL VIEW OF PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IS IN FAVOUR OF MAKING

NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR DURING

NEXT FEW YEARS. GOVERNOR'S POSITION WILL BE RECONSIDERED IN THE

1987 REVIEW.

WHAT IS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER AND THE

DRAFT AGREEMENT?

5. THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER ARE CONCERNED WITH THE

PERIOD BEFORE 1 JULY 1997. IT IS FIRMLY AGREED BETWEEN THE

BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL

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