TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 119

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**MOREOVER, STRONG OF INIONS AGAINST DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE EXPRESSED BY SOME OF THE 7 HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE BLDC DRAFTING THE RELEVANT SECTION OF THE BASIC LAW.''

E) PARA. 33. AS IN PARA 14, THIS PARAGRAPH TENDS TO CONFUSE OPINIONS RELATED TO 1988 AND 1997. 1 SUGGEST, THAT THE SECOND SENTENCE SHOULD END ".....AT THE SAME CONCLUSION ON THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS. AND THE FOURTH SENTENCE SHOULD END

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".... VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENT ON WHETHER DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988.**

F) PARA. 34. I THINK THAT THIS PARAGRAPH TRIES TO COVER TOO MANY POINTS IN TOO FEW WORDS, AS WELL AS FALLING INTO THE TRAP REFERRED TO IN PARA. 3 ABOVE. I SUGGEST THAT THE LAST 3 SENTENCES SHOULD BE REPLACE EY

''THIS MIGHT NOT IN ITSELF PRESENT REAL PROBLEMS FOR THE CHINESE. THEY SEEM, HOWEVER, TO FEAR THAT IT WOULD BE MERELY THE FIRST STEP ON THE SLIPPERY SLOPE TO A FULLY DIRECTLY-ELECTED LEGISLATURE. AS FAR AS HONG KONG OPINION IS CONCERNED, DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL NOT IN THEMSELVES GUARANTEE THE AUTONOMY OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997: THIS WILL NEED TO BE ACHIEVED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT THE INTRODUCTION OF EVEN A FEW DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1988 WILL HAVE AN IMPORTANT SYMBOLIC EFFECT. WE WILL NEED TO KEEP ALL THESE POINTS VERY FIRMLY IN MIND WHEN WE CONSIDER WHETHER A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1989."'

5. GIVEN THE CHANGES IN THE THRUST OF BOTH PAPERS, AND PARTICULARLY THAT ON THE GOVERNOR AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CIRCULATE THEM, WITH THE USUAL CAVEATS, TO EXCO FOR THEIR MEETING ON 4 NOVEMBER. IF YOU SEE NO OBJECTION TO THIS, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW DESK BY 31003OZ WHAT CHANCES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE TEXTS IN TURS.

YOUDE

HMLMAN 3930

LIMITED

HD/HKD PS

PS/MR RENTON

MR GILLMORE MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADV.

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