TNAG-1392-FCO40-1864-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 82

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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR

40 YEARS UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO. 276....

to show some sensitivity to Hong Kong's views. I t

is vital that the Basic Law accurately reflects the

Joint Declaration and that its stipulations in

in areas

where the Joint Declaration i s vague, such as

structure, are acceptable in Hong Kong.

The Basic Law i s for the Chinese to draft. Any

Government

suggestion

resented.

that

we havea

role would be strongly

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

6.

in

In November 1984 the Hong Kong Government

published a White Paper containing proposals for the

further development of representative Government

the territory. The aims of the proposals were to

develop progressively a system of government the authority for which is firmly rooted in Hong Kong,

which represents authoritatively the views of the

people of the territory and is more directly

accountable to the people of Hong Kong. The White

that constitutional

paper

of

further

proposed

the community for

development should be based on Hong Kong's existing institutions and also allowed, subject to the wishes

further development.

Publication of the White Paper was preceded by a two

month period of public consultation during which the

Government received a wide range of, mainly

favourable, comment on the aims

aims of the Paper. The need to preserve the prosperity and stability of the territory by ensuring that constitutional change

whilst

was progressive

was gradual,

widely recognised and the proposals were considered by many

realistic and practical

for framework

representative government at the

to be

a

development of

central level.

also

the

7.

The first elections to the Legislative Council

(LEGCO) took place on 26

September; they were

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