TNAG-1441-FCO40-1925-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 245

CONFIDENTIAL

4.

43778 - 1

ISSUE IN THE REVIEW) WOULD SERIOUSLY WEAKEN THE AUTHORITY OF HMG

AND THE HKG, AND BE SEEN IN HONG KONG AS BOWING TO CHINESE

PRESSURE. A CRUCIAL ELEMENT WILL BE THE EXTENT TO WHICH PRESSURE

FOR AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS APPEARS TO REPRESENT THE VIEWS

OF A SUBSTANTIAL AND INFLUENTIAL ELEMENT OF HONG KONG OPINION.

ONE POSSIBLE WAY OF ACCOMMODATING CHINESE AND BRITISH

REQUIREMENTS COULD BE, AS MR RENTON SUGGESTED, FOR THE

PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT OF THE BLDC SUB-COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL

STRUCTURE (OR AT LEAST OF SOME PRELIMINARY CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENT)

TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO AN EARLIER POINT IN 1987. THIS MIGHT

OFFER SCOPE FOR THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES TO REACH A

CONSISTENT VIEW, DURING 1987, ON THE STATE OF PUBLIC OPINION ON

THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, AND FOR THIS VIEW TO BE SEPARATELY

REFLECTED BOTH IN THE WHITE PAPER AND IN THE CONTINUING WORK OF

THE BLDC. (BUT IT WOULD NEED CLOSE INFORMAL CONSULTATION WITH

THE CHINESE, AND A GREATER DEGREE OF MUTUAL TRUST THAN EXISTS AT

PRESENT, TO ACHIEVE THIS.) IN THAT CONTEXT IS THERE SCOPE ON YOUR

SIDE FOR ALLOWING THE TIMING OF THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE 1987

REVIEW TO SLIP A LITTLE, IF THIS SEEMED LIKELY TO BE HELPFUL,

WITHOUT APPEARING INCONSISTENT WITH OUR UNDERTAKINGS OR AFFECTING

PREPARATIONS FOR THE 1988 ELECTIONS?

5.

WE DO NOT THINK THERE IS ANY IMMEDIATE FOLLOW-UP ACTION

TO TAKE WITH THE CHINESE. BUT WE SHALL SOON HAVE TO DECIDE HOW

TO DEAL WITH THE SUBJECT IN THE CONTEXT OF SETTING THE AGENDA FOR

JLG IV. OUR PRESENT INTENTIONS ARE TO PUT AGENDA PROPOSALS TO

THE CHINESE BEFORE THE END OF JUNE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT AMONG

OTHER THINGS THE OUTCOME OF THE CURRENT SERIES OP SUB-GROUP

MEETINGS IN PEKING. THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT IS BOUND TO BE

IN CHINESE MINDS WHEN WE MAKE OUR AGENDA PROPOSALS.

6.

ON BALANCE WE THINK IT MIGHT BE BETTER AT THAT POINT TO

TAKE THE INIATIVE IN REFERRING TO THE ISSUE. HAVING LISTED OUR

PROPOSED AGENDA ITEMS (WHICH OF COURSE WOULD NOT/NOT INCLUDE THE

STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT) WE MIGHT RECALL THAT THE ISSUE HAD BEEN

DISCUSSED BETWEEN MR RENTON AND ZHOU NAN AND THAT THE TWO

MINISTERS HAD AGREED TO PURSUE THE MATTER THROUGH INFORMAL TALKS,

THE FIRST APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY BEING YOUR VISIT TO PEKING AT

-

2

CONFIDENTIAL

THE