TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 127

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SHOULD BE KEPT IN PROPORTION.

IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE ONLY A

ON

SMALL NUMBER OF THE SEATS ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE

INVOLVED. ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE SEEN IN HONG KONG AS A SYMBOL OF

AUTONOMY, IN PRACTICE THIS AUTONOMY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED BY SUCH

A DEVICE AND MUST BE ACHIEVED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

THE OTHER HAND THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT THE INTRODUCTION

OF DIRECT ELECTIONS MIGHT IN PRACTICE GENERATE INSTABILITY.

THESE CONSIDERATIONS WILL NEED TO BE KEPT VERY FIRMLY IN MIND

WHEN THE TIME COMES TO CONSIDER WHETHER A DIRECTLY ELECTED

ELEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988.

35.

IN THE MEANTIME WE MUST CONTINUE AND INTENSIFY OUR

EXCHANGES WITH THE CHINESE ON ALL THE ISSUES CONNECTED WITH

QUOTE CONVERGENCE UNQUOTE. WE MUST EMPHASISE WHY THE 1987 REVIEW

MUST BE SEEN TO BE GENUINE AND OPEN, WITH BOTH THE BRITISH AND

CHINESE GOVERNMENTS KEEPING AN OPEN MIND OVER THE OUTCOME. WE

MUST SEEK TO CREATE CONDITIONS OF TRUST WITHIN WHICH PROBLEMS CAN

BE DISCUSSED AND SOLVED.

36.

UNTIL THE STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG CRYSTALLISES, WE

CANNOT FORESEE PRECISELY HOW THESE PROBLEMS MIGHT BE TACKLED.

BUT THE CLOSER OUR INFORMAL DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE ON ALL THE

ISSUES CONNECTED WITH QUOTE CONVERGENCE UNQUOTE AND THE BASIC

LAW, THE BETTER WILL BE OUR CHANCES OF FINDING A WAY FORWARD

WHICH WILL AT LEAST REDUCE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEMS

INVOLVED AND PRESENT AN OUTCOME WHICH WILL MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE

THAT THE TRANSITION TO 1997 CAN BE NEGOTIATED SUCCESSFULLY.

ENDS

HOWE

OCMIAN 2494

NNNN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

LIMITED

HKD

MR GILLMORE

MR WILSON

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