TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 101

GRS 550

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 02110OZ FCO

RECEIVED

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O11.

REGISTRY

TELNO 3220

- 9 OCT 1986

RADY

1

OF 021015Z OCTOBER 86

OKERY

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

INDE

is

Mil 027/17

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YOUR TELNOS 2121 AND 2122 : PREPARATION OF PAPERS OR THE SECRETARY

OF STATE.

1. WITH REGARD TO DIRECT ELECTIONS, WE ARE NOW AGREED ON HOW

THE PAPER SHOULD BE HANDLED. HOWEVER, WE ARE CONCERNED THAT TO

INCLUDE, AS YOU PROPOSE, A SHORT PARAGRAPH ABOUT DIRECT ELECTIONS IN THE PAPER ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATURE MAY DRAW AN

ADVERSE REACTION FROM THE CHINESE. THE PRESENT SUBJECT OF THE PAPER

- THE FUTURE OF APPOINTED AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS - SPRINGS DIRECTLY

FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND FROM PAPER IN

OF THE TRILOGY. THE POSSIBLE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HS NOT AN ISSUE OF CONVERGENCE. MOREOVER WE CONSIDER

THAT A SHORT REFERENCE TO DIRECT ELECTIONS AT THE END OF THE PAPER

WITHOUT GIVING THEM THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE LONGER PAPER, WOULD ONLY EXCITE THE SUSPICION OF THE CHINESE. AS WORDED, THE DRAFT

PARAGRAPH IMPLIES THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ASSUMES THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL BE INTRODUCED AND S CONSIDERING HOW TO ORGANISE THEM. THIS IS WHAT SOME IN EXCO (AND WE THOUGH YOU TOO) WERE CONCERNED

ABOUT (MY TELNO 3170).

2. WE THEREFORE ADVÁ SE STRONGLY THAT THE ISSUE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS

SHOULD BE HANDLED AS IN PARAGRAPH 2 OF YOUR FIRST TUR, AND THAT THE

PROPOSED NEW PARAGRAPH SHOULD NOT BE INSERTED IN THE PAPER ON THE

COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATURE.

3. THE REMOVAL OF THE PAPER ON THE TRANSITION FROM GOVERNOR TO CHIEF EXECUTIVE S NOTED, AS ARE THE CONSEQUENTRAL AMENDMENTS TO THE PAPER ISSUES CONNECTED WITH THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE''.

4. WE HAVE INCORPORATED ALL YOUR OTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS.

5. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE:

(A) PARAGRAPH 5(A), LINE 4. AGAINST. THIS ECHOED THE

TEXT. WE PROPOSE TO RETAIN

(B) PARAGRAPH 13, THE USE OF THE GOVERNOR WAS GRANTED THE

THE CORRECT TEXT WAS ''FOR AND

T.

SUPPORT OF OPPOSITION EARLIER IN THE

INVOKING WAS DELIBERATE, BECAUSE POWER TO DISSOLVE THE LEGISLATURE ONLY

1

IN 1985. BEFORE THAT, IT WAS NOT IN THE GOVERNOR'S POWER. WE PROPOSE AMENDING THE FINAL CLAUSE TO READ NOR HAS ANY SITUATION ARSEN WHICH MIGHT HAVE LED TO T BEING CONTEMPLATED''.

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