TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 171

CONFIDENTIAL

904 - 1

YOU PRESUMABLY MEAN 'CRITICISM BY SOME MORE RADICAL

ELEMENTS FOR NOT GOING FURTHER'. WE THINK IT ESSENTIAL

TO MAINTAIN THE POSITION STATED FIRMLY IN THE JLG THAT

WE HAVE NO PRECONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT WHAT CONCLUSIONS

THE 1987 REVIEW SHOULD REACH. WE THINK 'BEFORE TAKING

THE NEXT STEP WHICH WILL BE FOR REVIEW IN 1987' IS TOO

DEFINITE. WE SUGGEST 'BEFORE DECIDING IN 1987 WHETHER

AND WHAT FURTHER STEPS ARE NEEDED'.

(E) PARA 10. SENTENCE BEGINNING 'WE HAVE AT THE PRESENT

MOMENT NO IDEA

1 SUGGESTS RATHER DIRECTLY THAT WE

•

DOUBT THE CHINESE COMMITMENT TO CONSULT THE PEOPLE OF

HONG KONG. WE SUGGEST INSTEAD 'NO IDEA OF THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS ON HOW THIS CONSULTATIVE PROCESS

SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT AND EXACTLY WHAT ITS SCOPE SHOULD

BE'.

(F) PARA 11. SECOND SENTENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE BASIC LAW

SHOULD NOT LAY DOWN ANYTHING, AND THAT MATTERS SHOULD BE

LEFT OPEN UNTIL 1997. WE THINK THE LINE SHOULD RATHER BE

THAT DURING THE NEXT YEAR OR SO WHILE THIS DEBATE

PROCEEDS IN HONG KONG NEITHER GOVERNMENT SHOULD ADOPT

PRECONCEIVED IDEAS.

(G) PARA 12. THIRD SENTENCE SOUNDS A BIT ONE-SIDED FROM

THE CHINESE POINT OF VIEW. WE SUGGEST YOU SAY THAT EACH

SIDE SHOULD BE FRANK WITH THE OTHER ABOUT HOW THEIR IDEAS

ARE DEVELOPING SO THAT THERE CAN BE A CONSTRUCTIVE

EXCHANGE OF VIEWS ETC.

(H) PARA 13. WE THINK THE PASSAGE ABOUT 'CREDIBILITY OF

CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S PROMISES' WILL RAISE UNNECESSARY

HACKLES.

WE SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE 'CONVINCING PEOPLE OF

THE DETERMINATION OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE A SUCCESS

OF OUR JOINT ENDEAVOUR NEEDS THE EFFORTS OF BOTH

GOVERNMENTS. WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE WITHOUT THE HELP OF

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.'

(I) PARA 13. THE LAST SENTENCE SOUNDS LIKE A REQUEST FOR

A BLANK CHEQUE. WE SUGGEST 'WE TAKE A SERIOUS VIEW OF OUR

RESPONSIBILITY TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG UNTIL 1997 AND TO

2

CONFIDENTIAL