TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 139

GRS 250

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2618

CONFIDENTIAL

HRR OL!

OF 23O24OZ NOVEMBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

25 NOVIA

287

RA

011/1

IAB

JOINT LIAISON GROUP : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

TODAY'S TA KUNG PAO AND WEN WE PAO BOTH CARRIED FRONT PAGE REPORTS ON JI PENGFEI'S MEETING WITH HILTON CHEONG-LEEN (URBAN COUNCIL CHAIRMAN AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR) ON 22 NOVEMBER, AT WHICH BOTH LI HOU AND LU PING WERE ALSO PRESENT. AT THE MEETING, JI WAS REPORTED TO HAVE MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS :

(A) THE BASIC LAW WILL, IN ADDITION TO STIPULATING THE CONTENT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, SPECIFY CLEARLY THE GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE OF THE HONG KONG SAR.

(B) THE CHINESE HOPED THAT THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE PROMULGATED BY 1990, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT HALF-WAY THROUGH THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY CAN BE EFFECTED SMOOTHLY IN 1997, HONG KONG SHOULD FROM 1990 ONWARDS MOVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIRECTION STIPULATED IN THE BASIC LAW.

(C) THE GREATEST PROBLEM AT THE PRESENT STAGE WAS TO MAINTAIN HONG KONG'S STABILITY.

(D) CHINA WOULD KEEP TO HER PROMISE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGE IN HONG KONG FOR FIFTY YEARS. HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD THEREFORE HAVE CONFIDENCE.

2. THIS REPORT IS NO DOUBT INTENDED TO FURTHER EXPHASIZE THE CHINESE VIEW THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM SHOULD (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) FOLLOW THE STIPULATIONS OF THE BASIC LAW.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD

DET HD/PUSD

RES (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR FENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUSD

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ASST STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL