TNAG-1439-FCO40-1923-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 106

GRS 270

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

SECRET

A ENDED DISTRIBUTION 1 APRIL 1986

TO DESKBY 27090OZ FCO

TELNO 937

OF 27023OZ MARCH 86

UNFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

HKK O!!!!

RECENED IN REGISTRY

- 3 APR 1986

(161)

IMPEX

MIPT: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE BASIC LAW

AB3/0

1. THERE ARE, OF COURSE, DANGERS IN SEEKING TO INFLUENCE THE DRAFTING OF THE BASHC LAW. HOWEVER, WE CANNOT EXPECT TO EXERCISE . ANY INFLUENCE IF WE DO NOT GIVE A CLEAR STEER TO WHO MAY BE ABLE TO AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF THE DRAFTING PROCESS. WE ARE GIVING THOUGHT TO A FURTHER VERSION OF THIS PAPER WHICH WOULD SEEK TO MINIMISE THE DANGERS TO WHICH YOU REFER BY EMPHASISING, AT LEAST IN THE OPENING PARAGRAPHS, THAT THE CONTENT OF THE PAPER IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE FAITHFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, A MATTER ON WHICH HMG HIS COMPETENT TO EXPRESS VIEWS.

2. IN ANY CASE, WE HAVE BEEN SPECIFICALLY ASKED BY A DELEGATION OF LAWYERS, INCLUDING BLDC MEMBER MARTIN LEE, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION, MR. DENNIS CHANG, FOR OUR VIEWS ON THE BASHC

LAW. WE BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN BE TRUSTED TO HANDLE ANY VIEWS

CONVEYED TO THEM WITH REASONABLE CARE. WE CANNOT, HOWEVER, MAKE

THE SAME ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE STUDY OF THIS PAPER AS ARE MADE FOR

SENSITIVE EXCO PAPERS. HIT WOULD MAKE THE EXERCISE TOO CLOAK

AND DAGGER' OF WE TRIED TO DO SO.

3. WITH A FURTHER REDRAFTING EFFORT, THE RISKS #NVOLVED IN GIVING THIS PAPER TO A SMALL AND CAREFULLY SELECTED NUMBER OF BLDC AND BLCC MEMBERS, COULD N OUR VIEW BE REDUCED TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL.

YOUDE

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS

RESEARCH D (FE)

DEP/HD PUSD

PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON

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