TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 129

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22.

TURN CREATED SUB-GROUPE TO STUDY CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE DRAFT

LAW. THE CHINESE HAVE ALSO SET UP A BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE

COMMITTEE (BLCC) IN HONG KONG TO REFLECT HONG KONG OPINION TO THE

BLDC.

21.

IF WE ARE TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN

1997, AS THE JOINT DECLARATION COMMITS US TO DO, IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE MUST BE COMPATIBILITY (OR QUOTE CONVERGENCE UNQUOTE)

BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AS IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE UP TO

1997 AND THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE FOR THE HONG KONG SAR AS THIS

IS DESCRIBED IN THE BASIC LAW. IF CONVERGENCE CANNOT BE ACHIEVED

THERE WILL BE A DISRUPTIVE BREAK IN 1997 AND/OR OPEN CONFLICT

BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS BEFORE 1997, WITH

POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS FOR THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG.

THE GENERAL PROBLEM IS COMPOUNDED BY PARTICULAR

COMPLICATIONS OF TIMING OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. THE REVIEW TO

BE CONDUCTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT DURING 1987 WILL ADDRESS

THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE

COMMITTED TO INCLUDING IN THE REVIEW THE QUESTION OF DIRECT

ELECTIONS. AT THE SAME TIME THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE BLDC

WILL BE CONSIDERING THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE SAR IN

1997. THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WILL BE PUBLISHED IN

1988. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO CONFLICT

BETWEEN THE OUTCOME OF THESE TWO EXERCISES. PARTICULAR

DIFFICULTY WOULD BE CAUSED IF THERE WAS INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN

DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE BRITISH SIDE AT THE END OF 1987 AND THE

PROVISIONS IN THE DRAFT BASIC LAW PUBLISHED BY THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THIS WOULD CALL INTO QUESTION

QUOTE CONVERGENCE UNQUOTE AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997:

GREATLY DAMAGE CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG: AND WEAKEN THE BASIS FOR

THE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND HMG WHICH WILL

FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY.

THE CHINESE ATTITUDE

23.

OVER THE PAST YEAR THE CHINESE HAVE ON MANY OCCASIONS

MADE KNOWN THEIR CONCERN AT THE DIRECTION AND PACE OF

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. IN NOVEMBER 1985 THEIR

(NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) DE FACTO REPRESENTATIVE IN HONG KONG

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