TNAG-1442-FCO40-1926-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 126

GRS 550

- CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO FLASH FCO

TELNO 2963

Confidential

OF 12083OZ SEPTEMBER 96

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ACTING GOVERNOR FOR GOVERNOR.

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT :

PRESS REPORTS

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Comments

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SUMMARY

TODAY'S PRESS GAVE FAIRLY PROMINENT COVERAGE TO XU JIATUN'S REMARK THAT HK COULD HAVE DIRECT ELECTION AFTER 1997 IF THE MAJORITY OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE SO WISHED. HE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON THE REPORT THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS IN FAVOUR OF DIRECT ELECTION IN HK

BY 1988.

DETAILS

2. ACCOMPANYING CHINESE MEMBERS OF THE BLDC SPECIAL GROUP ON ECONOMIC SYSTEM ON A VISIT TO THE KWA CHUNG CONTAINER TERMINAL, XU JIATUN WAS ASKED TO COMMENT ON DIRECT ELECTION IN THE TERRITORY. HE WAS QUOTED TO HAVE SAID THAT THIS QUESTION SHALL BE DECIDED IN THE BASIC LAW. AT THIS STAGE, MANY ISSUES RELATING TO POST-1997 HK ARE STILL BEING DISCUSSED, AND IT IS TOO EARLY TO FIRM UP ANY ARRANGEMENTS. WHEN THE BASIC LAW IS BEING DRAFTED, IT WILL BE PUT TO PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS. WE SHALL LISTEN TO THE LOCAL VIEWS AND GIVE DUE CONSIDERATION TO THE WISHES OF HK PEOPLE.''

WHEN ASKED WHETHER HK COULD HAVE DIRECT ELECTION IF THE MAJORITY SUPPORTED IT, HE REPLIED : 'IF THERE IS MAJORITY SUPPORT, OF COURSE IT CAN.'' (THE SCMP LINKED THIS REMARK, PROBABLY ERRONEOUSLY, TO DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. NO OTHER PAPER HAS DONE THE SAME.)

3. WHEN BEING QUESTIONED ON WHETHER THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988 BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD IN ANY WAY AFFECT THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, XU SAID: "HK PEOPLE HAVE THE IR OWN VIEWS. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MIGHT ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN CONSIDERATIONS. WE DO NOT COMMENT ON THE VIEWS OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. SCMP ALSO QUOTED XU TO HAVE SAID THAT THE JLG HAD DISCUSSED DIRECT ELECTIONS BUT MADE NO CONCLUSION: THIS WAS NOT HOWEVER REPEATED IN OTHER PAPERS.

4. HK STANDARD COMMENTED THAT XU'S REMARKS SEEMED TO DOVETAIL WITH THE PRIME MINISTER'S PRESS STATEMENT ON WEDNESDAY IN LONDON THAT

'FULL ACCOUNT WOULD BE TAKEN OF THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HK WHEN DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FROM THE 1987 REVIEW. IT SPECULATED THAT THIS DEVELOPMENT SIGNALLED THAT THE CHINESE AND THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES

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