TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 34

I

GRS 2000

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2915

OF 30102OZ DECEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

SEORET

HKK 01111

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

444)- MY IPT: PART A: OPTIONS FOR THE 1987 REVIEW

GENERAL APPRAOCH

-

3 JAN 1986

AB 311

1. THE 1987 REVIEW MUST KEEP IN MIND THE UNDERTAKINGS GIVEN AND

COMMENTS MADE IN THE GREEN PAPER OF JULY 1984 AND WHITE PAPER

OF NOVEMBER THAT YEAR: AND THE UNDERTAKING NOW GIVEN TO THE CHINESE

THAT HMG WOULD BE READY TO DISCUSS WITH THEM THE NEED FOP CONVERGENCE

BETWEEN THEIR PLANS FOR THE BASIC LAW AND OUR PLANS FOR THE FURTHER

DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. THE OPTIONS WE PUT FORWARD

MUST BE SUCH AS TO COMMAND THE BROAD SUPPORT OF ALL SECTORS OF THE

HONG KONG COMMUNITY AND NOT PREJUDICE CONVERGENCE. THE VIEWS OF

ARTICULATE MINORITIES MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BUT NOT

NECESSARILY REGARDED AS DETERMINANT.

2. ALL THESE ACTORS ARGUE IN FAVOUR OF NOT ENGAGING IN ANY

FUNDAMENTAL RESTRUCTURING OF THE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM. TO DO SO

WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH THE STATED OBJECTIVES IN THE GREEN AND

WHITE PAPERS OF BUILDING ON WELL TRIED INSTITUTIONS, NOR IS THERE

NEED TO REDEFINE HONG KONG PRESENT DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AT LEAST

IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 1987 REVIEW.

THE GOVERNOR

3. THE CHINESE-GOVERNMENT WILL BE SUSPICIOUS AND PROBABLY

HOSTILE TO ANY TRANSFER OR DIMINUTION OF THE POWERS NOW VESTED

IN THE GOVERNOR. THEY WILL SEE IT AS AN ATTEMPT TO INCREASE

THE POWERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND REDUCE THOSE OF THE EXECUTIVE.

THE WHITE PAPER RECORDED THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL CONTINUE TO BE

APPOINTED FORMALLY BY THE QUEEN UNTIL 1997. IT ALSO SAID THAT ANY

PROPOSALS FOR CHANGE IN THE POSITION AND ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR

WILL NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THESE

IMPORTANT ISSUES WILL BE CONSIDERED AT A LATER STAGE''. THERE WAS

NO SPECIFIC UNDERTAKING TO DO SO IN THE 1987 REVIEW: BUT THE

SUBJECT WILL HAVE TO BE MENTIONED.

4. THE GOVERNOR IS BOTH THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE PEPRESENTATIVE

OF HMG IN HONG KONG. THE JOINT DECLARATION IS SILENT ON WHETHER

THERE WILL BE ANY CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PEPPESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG

DISTINCT FROM THE SAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND ON WHAT POWERS AND

STATUS HE MIGHT HAVE (SEE PART !!).

5. THE OPTIONS FOR 1287 APE THEREFORE:

GEORET

| OPTION

445