TNAG-1352-FCO40-1793-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 94

CONFIDENTIAL

Private Secretary

ни

HUCK Oliti

From: R P Osborne Date: 4 February 1985

cc:

Sir W Harding

Dr Wilson

Mr Galsworthy

Mr Bickford,

Legal Advisers Mr Orr, FED

THIS

COPY

FOR

HONG KONG: AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mr Luce read over the weekend Mr Galsworthy's minute of 31 January on this subject. He takes the view that HMG must be seen to be in real charge of Hong Kong until 1997 with the Governor able to govern. Certain measures may be necessary to ensure this. He feels however that we need to assess a little further whether the Chinese would be likely to use this in the Basic Law and what the implications would be.

2. We also need a careful assessment of how Hong Kong is likely to react. Even if they were to react adversely to reserved powers for the Governor we would still retain the power to instruct the Governor from London.

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RP Osborne APS/Mr Luce

M. Home

CONFIDENTIAL