TNAG-1439-FCO40-1923-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 116

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WE

REVIEW WILL BE HELD 'IN PREPARATION FOR' THE 1988 ELECTIONS.

WOULD, THEREFORE, BE INCLINED TO END THIS PARA AFTER THE FIRST

'HONG KONG' AND DELETE THE REST OF THE SENTENCE. WE DO NOT FEEL

THIS WEAKENS THE IMPACT OF YOUR INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.

B)

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PARA 2: WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE PARA BE EXPANDED TO

EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF 'GREEN PAPER AND THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

IN YOUR NOW WELL ESTABLISHED CONSULTATIVE PROCESS (I.E. GREEN

PAPER: CONSULTATIVE PERIOD, WHITE PAPER: LEGCO DEBATE :

LEGISLATION)

C)

*

PARA 6 FIRST SENTENCE: INSERT '1984' BEFORE 'WHITE

PAPER IN THE SECOND SENTENCE INSERT BEFORE 'ANY' 'THE WHITE PAPER SAID THAT get an impedit

D)

PARA 8: WE ARE NOT CERTAIN THAT WE UNDERSTAND ALL THE

THINKING BEHIND THE LAST SENTENCE. WE ASSUME THAT YOU DO NOT/NOT

HAVE IN MIND THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL SPEAK IN LEGCO ITSELF. NOR

ARE WE SURE TO WHAT EXTENT YOU MIGHT FEEL INHIBITED AT PRESENT

ABOUT SPEAKING ON GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY

LEGCO BECAUSE OF YOUR POSITION AS PRESIDENT. IT COULD WELL BE

THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT BE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE IMPLICATION OF A

GOVERNOR DESCENDING MORE READILY INTO THE POLITICAL ARENA, AS YOU

SEEM TO ENVISAGE. IF WE ARE TO PURSUE THIS POINT WITH THE

CHINESE WE SHALL PERHAPS THINK IT THROUGH MORE FULLY.

E) PARA 10: WE WOULD SUGGEST REWORDING AS FOLLOWS: 'THE PRESENT

SYSTEM IS WORKING WELL AND THERE IS LITTLE PRESSURE FOR CHANGE.

DESPITE A GOOD DEAL OF CONFUSED PUBLIC EXPRESSION ABOUT WHAT

EXACTLY A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM IS OR HOW IT MIGHT WORK, THERE IS NO

SIGNIFICANT DEMAND FOR CHANGES IN EITHER THE METHOD OF OPERATION

OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OR OF SELECTION OF ITS MEMBERS, OR FOR A

MOVE TOWARDS A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM.

F)

PARA 12, SECOND SENTENCE: WE SUGGEST 'NUMBER UNSPECIFIED'

BE DELETED

G)

PARA 13: WE SUGGEST THAT THIS MIGHT BE EXPANDED TO

INCLUDE A BRIEF EXPLANATION (ON THE WHITE PAPER LINES) OF THE

REASONS FOR FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

H)

PARA 15: AS (G) ABOVE

I)

PARA 18, FIRST SENTENCE: DELETE ALL AFTER 'EXPECTATIONS'

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