TNAG-1397-FCO40-1869-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1985 — Page 25

GRS 130

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

· TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2107

OF 09064OZ OCTOBER 85

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

108

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

HKK 040/21 RECE Ev.. REGISTRY

- 9 OCT 1985

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

YOUR TELNO 1501: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE BASIC LAW

1 1

нан

WE AGREE WITH PARA 1 OF YOUR TEL UNDER REF. BUT TO SAY THAT THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IS PRIMARILY A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT, TO MY MIND, NECESSARILY IMPLY THAT HMG OR THE HKG MIGHT HAVE A ROLE IN THE DRAFTING PROCESS. WE HAVE BEEN USING THIS FORMULATION IN HONG KONG AND THERE HAS BEEN NO ADVERSE REACTION FROM THE CHINESE.

2. I ALSO AGREE WITH PARA 3 OF TUR, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE KEEN NOT TO SAY ANYTING WHICH SUGGESTS THAT WE ACCEPT THAT THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IS (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) ENTIRELY A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE. GIVEN THIS, AND SINCE THE USE OF ''PRIMARILY HAS NOT CAUSED ANY PROBLEM SO FAR, WE WOULD PREFER TO CONTINUE TO USE IT. BUT WE DO NOT FEEL STRONGLY ON THE ISSUE. WE CAN ALWAYS USE THE PHRASE THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) ACTUAL DRAFTING'', USED BY THE P.M.

YOUDE

REGISTRY

Action Taken

九

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

LIMITED

XD/ HKD

COPIES TO:

HD/ JED

HD/ PLANNING STAFF

HD/ PUSD

DEP ID/ PUSD

RESEARCH D (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR V HARDING

DR WILSON

MR ROBERTS,

MR FIFOOT,

NEWS DEPT LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASSESSMENT STAFF,

CABINET OFFICE.

SIR P CRADOCK, NO.10 DOWNING STR.

CONFIDENTIAL

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