TNAG-1352-FCO40-1793-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 82

CONFIDENTIAL

5. IN ANY CASE, WE SHOULD NOT AT THIS STAGE GIVE NEW POWERS TO THE EXECUTIVE UNTIL THE OVERALL DIRECTION OF FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS DECIDED, WHICH CAN BE DONE ONLY AT A LATER STAGE. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU THINK IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO INTRODUCE SUCH POWERS LATER RATHER THAN NOW. AS I SAID IN PARA 1(D) OF MY TELNO 287, THIS COULD BE DONE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY IN 1988, AFTER THE GENERAL REVIEW OF THE POSITION IN 1987, WHEN A NUMBER OF FURTHER CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES WILL HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED AND A COHERENT PACKAGE OF CHANGES INTRODUCED.

YOUDE

FUTURE EGRET

LIMITED

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SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

COPIES TO:- SIR P CRADOCK MR BURROWS MR FIFOOT

CONFIDENTIAL

LEGAL ADVISERS LEGAL ADVISERS

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