TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 54

GRS 230

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2908

SECRET

HKK 01/1

FRECANLO

LusikY

- 3 JAN 1986

А-

PA-011/1

(442

OF 30065OZ DECEMBER 85

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

CESTRY

on Taken

AB3

MY TELNO 2893: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: CONVERGENCE WITH

THE BASIC LAW: AND THE 1987 REVIEW

1. MY THREE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEGRAMS CONTAIN THE DRAFT

OF A PAPER IN WHICH PART # DEALS WITH THE PRESENT STRUCTURE AND

POWERS OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG: PART 1 WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, CHINESE AND HONG KONG OPINION ON FUTURE ARRANGEMENTS, AND THE ISSUES LIKELY TO ARISE IN SEEKING CONVERGENCE BETWEEN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE BASIC LAW: AND

PART WITH THE OPTIONS FOR CHANGE WHICH WILL NEED TO BE

CONSIDERED IN THE 1987 REVIEW.

2. BY THEIR NATURE, PARTS 1 AND 111 CANNOT CONSTITUTE A BLUEPRINT.

NOT ENOUGH IS KNOWN ABOUT CHINESE IDEAS (THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO BLUEPRINT). OPINION IN HONG KONG IS STILL EVOLVING AND, EXCEPT ON THE QUESTION OF ELECTIONS, DEBATE IS UNSTRUCTURED. BUT THE PAPER SEEKS TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUES AND TO PRODUCE PRELIMINARY IDEAS ON

THE KIND OF DECISIONS WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED. IT PARALLELS THE

PAPER IN MY TELSNOS 2894 AND 2895 ON THE BASIC LAW.

3. SHALL BE DISCUSSING BOTH PAPERS WITH MY SENIOR ADVISERS ON FRDIAY 3 JANUARY. WE SHALL IN PARTICULAR CONSIDER A NUMBER OF THE JUDGEMENTS AND POSSIBLE POLICY POSITIONS IN IT WHICH ARE SQUARE

BRACKETED IN THE PAPER.

4. THEN PROPOSE TO SUBMIT BOTH PAPERS TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SOME TIME IN JANUARY, NOT FOR DECISIONS OR FIRM RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT AS A PASIS FOR DISCUSSION AND IDENTIFICATION OF FURTHER WORK

TO BE DONE ON THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES. FOLLOWING THAT YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO PUT IT TO MINISTERS, AT LEAST TO SHOW THE

PRESENT STAGE OF OFFICIAL THINKING.

5. IF YOU OR THE AMBASSADOR IN PEKING HAVE ANY PRELIMINARY COMMENTS

# SHALL BE GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE THEM DESKBY 0301OOZ.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

RESEARCH D (FE)

D/HD PUSD

MR. WILSON

#

SCRE