TNAG-1442-FCO40-1926-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 128

GRS 550

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

Confidential

OF 12083OZ SEPTEMBER 86

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

HKK Onll.

RECEL

TO FLASH FCO

TELNO 2963

ACTING GOVERNOR FOR GOVERNOR.

17 SEP 1986

A8817/91

PA-Ou/e

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT :

PRESS REPORTS

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 1983.

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 BE ING 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 THEIR 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

Conneennal

Іние.

364