TNAG-1317-FCO40-1720-Future-of-Hong-Kong-meetings-of-the-Cabinet-Defence-and-Over-1984 — Page 111

35,

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B

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in hand

if

M. Hoone

We spine

a) Acceptability

Private Secretary

Vaduver

HKKO

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

M

14 JUN 1984

TUBGN TRY

Action Taken

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Dith the Clott, HARD

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any further action?

4.146.

Mam Hanks.

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FROM: R D CLIFT HKD

DATE: 13 June 1984

cc: PS/Mr Luce

PS/PUS

Sir P Cradock

Dr Wilson

Mr Orr, FED

Legal Advisers

Discussed Air

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wilt

Mr Burrows,

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He Secretum of State

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PAPERS FOR OD(K)

1.

/13/6

Your minute of 11 June recorded the Secretary of State's

comments on the papers on Constitutional Development and Government

Strucutre and Acceptability that I submitted on 8 June. We have

consulted the Governor and the Ambassador on the points made by the

Secretary of State and I have discussed them with Sir P Cradock.

Constitutional Development

2. The Secretary of State expressed particular concern at the

proposals for the selection of the Governor and the possible ached reaction of the Chinese to these. The Governor has explained (Peking telno 1094) that his proposals were based on the understanding that it is HMG's policy to establish the maximum

degree of locally based political power in Hong Kong before 1997,

and that a locally elected Governor is an essential element in

this.

3. The key point is whether we are really as certain as the

Governor suggests about our aims in the last years before 1997. It

is true that we have told the Chinese that we consider that the

Governor should be elected in and after 1997, but we have made no

commitment that we would ourselves introduce such a system before

then.

4.

There seem to be two main alternative approaches:-

(a) We should go, as the draft Green Paper proposes, for a local

Governor who would be selected through an electoral process

sometime before 1997; or

(b) We should retain a more visible British presence by continuing

to appoint a Governor from London until 1997.

SECRET

/5.