TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 162

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TO RAISE THE MATTER IN THE JLG, AND TO RESIST ANY ATTEMPT ON OUR PART TO DIVERT IT INTO INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS ELSEWHERE UNTIL WE HAD ACCEPTED THEIR RIGHT TO DO SO. THUS WE THINK THE COURSE PROPOSED BY EXCO WOULD IN FACT MILITATE STRONGLY AGAINST THEIR OBJECTIVE OF GETTING THE CHINESE INTO A MORE INFORMAL EXCHANGE ON THEIR ANXIETIES WITHOUT GETTING THEM FORMALLY COMMITTED IN PUBLIC TO A DEMAND THAT THE SUBJECT BE DEALT WITH IN THE JLG.

4.

WE DO HOWEVER ACCEPT THE VALIDITY OF EXCO'S OBJECTIVE. IN THIS CONTEXT WE WOULD THINK IT VERY VALUABLE IF WILSON WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE POINT TO KE IN THE MARGINS OF THE JLG, AND PREFERABLY BEFORE ANY DISCUSSION TAKES PLACE, THAT WE WOULD BE WILLING TO HAVE A DIALOGUE ON CHINESE ANXIETIES ABOUT FUTURE CHANGES, BUT THAT FOR THE TIME BEING IT WOULD BE EASIER TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE SENSITIVITIES OF BOTH SIDES IF THIS WERE DONE OUTSIDE THE JLG. HE WOULD NEED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT HE WAS DOING THIS WITH FULL AUTHORITY.

WE THINK THAT THIS COULD BE VERY

HELPFUL IN PREVENTING THE CHINESE FROM PRESSING TOO HARD AT THIS JLG FOR DISCUSSION OF THE FUTURE.

5.

WE WOULD BE READY TO INTRODUCE THE SUBJECT OF THE BASIC LAW IDEAS ON IN AN INDIRECT WAY AT THE OUTSET BY ASKING FOR CHINESE

WE SHALL ALSO NEED TO RESPOND POST 1997 GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES.

TO THE INEVITABLE CHINESE SUGGESTION THAT IT IS FOR THE BASIC LAW TO DEFINE THE STRUCTURES OF THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT AND THAT WE SHOULD NOT ANTICIPATE IT. WE SHOULD PROPOSE TO SAY DIRECTLY IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IF THE CHINESE WOULD SHARE WITH US THEIR

WE IDEAS ON WHAT MIGHT GO INTO THE BASIC LAW ON THIS SUBJECT, WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO DISCUSS THEM WITH THEM, AND ALSO TO

ANY CONSIDER, AND WHERE NECESSARY, DISCUSS WITH THEM, RELATIONSHIP WHICH THERE MIGHT BE BETWEEN THEM AND ANYTHING WHICH WE MIGHT DO IN HONG KONG IN PURSUANCE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO ADMINISTER THE TERRITORY WITH THE OBJECT OF MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING ITS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY.

6.

WE DO NOT MINIMISE THE PRESENTATIONAL PROBLEMS IN HONG KONG, THOUGH AS YOU WILL NOTE WE SEE PRESENTATIONAL PROBLEMS OF A DIFFERENT KIND HERE IF WE WERE TO DECLINE THE CHINESE REQUEST TO DISCUSS THE MATTER IN THE JLG. WE SHOULD PROPOSE TO ANSWER ANY

3.

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