TNAG-1307-FCO40-1664-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 140

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Hong Kong would be extended to the hinterland.

It was right that the negotiations should be secret. The Foreign Office had played a bad hand very skilfully. The Prime Minister had told him recently that there was no question of pulling a rabbit out of the hat: there were no rabbits, and the Chinese owned the hat.

Constitutional change in Hong Kong was essential. There might be direct elections to LEGCO, or perhaps an amalgamation of EXCO and LEGCO generated partly by election partly by selection. But totally free elections in Hong Kong were out of the question. Hong Kong would have to play the game according to Peking's rules.

ahd

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CO Hum

26 January 1984

Hong Kong Department

CC:

P Thomson

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