TNAG-1438-FCO40-1922-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 152

Date

Statements by Chinese

Officials

31.12.85

Constitutional Reforms (46)

Statements by Government News Comments/Editorials

Officials

Statements/Comments by others

(HK Times): The remark by Chief Secretary Sir David Akers-Jones yesterday that there would be exchange of views with Peking on local political reform was an indication that the Government had bowed to Peking's pressure.

(Ming Pao): Democracy alone could not resist Communists nor maintain internal stability.

(report) (A BLCC secretariat source): Xu Jiatun was referring to political reforms in HK when he talked about deviation from the Joint Declaration. China was unhappy when Britain earlier refused to discuss political reforms which were related to the changeover in 1997.

(report) (Legco

Unofficial Martin Lee, interviewed by Ming Pao): He believed that China would agree to direct elections in HK if the majority of the people here opted for it. He was not entirely convinced that China had no preconceived blueprint for HK's future political structure. The proposal for advisory council mentioned recently by a pro-China magazine was actually a trial balloon.