TNAG-1437-FCO40-1921-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 32

GRS 200

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 324

OF 3105OOZ JANUARY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

H

.『:. STRY

03 FEB 1986

Achon Taken

A5312

YOUR TELNO 201 : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: PRESS STORIES.

THE HUGH DAVIES ARTICLE IS PROBABLY A CASE OF PUTTING TWO AND TWO TOGETHER TO MAKE FIVE. OUR GUESS IS THAT HE HAS LINKED THE MINISTER OF STATE'S REFERENCE TO THE NEED FOR DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE TO AN EARLIER ARTICLE IN THE MIRROR MAGAZINE (DECEMBER 1985 ISSUE) ON THE BLUE PRINT FOR THE FUTURE BASIC LAW. THE MIRROR ARTICLE (SUMMARISED IN MY TELNO 2794 OF 11 DECEMBER AND SUBSEQUENTLY COPIED TO YOU BY BAG WITH TRANSLATION) ENVISAGED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN QUOTE EXECUTIVE ADVISORY ASSEMBLY UNQUOTE OF 100 SEATS, AND A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF 60 SEATS OF WHICH 40 PER CENT ARE RETURNED BY DIRECT ELECTION. IT DID NOT, HOWEVER, REFER TO THE ABILITY TO THE LEGISLATURE TO VETO THE ACTHONS OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE BY A 75 PER CENT MAJORITY VOTE. THERE WAS ONLY A VAGUE REFERENCE TO THE ABILITY OF AD HOC COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATURE TO CAST A VOTE OF NON-CONFIDENCE ON ANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT WITH WHICH THEY ARE NOT SATISFIED, AND RECOMMEND TO THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE THAT THE DEPARTMENT HEAD BE REPLACED. APART FROM THIS DIFFERENCE, THE PLAN IN THE HUGH DAVIES ARTICLE RESEMBLES THE MIRROR BLUEPRINT.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

D/HD PUSD

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

MR WILSON

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