TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 140

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72502

OCMIAN 2502

SECRET

DD 290100Z HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

281700Z OCT

GRS 1200

HKK

2405

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

31 OCT 1986

DESK OFFICER INDEX

BEGISTRY

PA

Action Taken

SECRET

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 290100Z HONG KONG

TELNO 2405

OF 281700Z OCTOBER 86

MY THREE IPTS: PAPERS FOR OD(K)

FOLLOWING IS ANNEX TO PAPER ON THE GOVERNOR AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

BEGINS

CONSEQUENTIAL ISSUES

A.

1.

TIMETABLE

THE APPENDIX SETS OUT A POSSIBLE TIMETABLE FOR THE

CREATION OF THE POST OF DEPUTY GOVERNOR AND THE DELEGATION OF

POWERS TO HIM. IT SHOULD BE EMPHASISED THAT AT THIS STAGE IT IS

PURELY ILLUSTRATIVE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNOR AND

THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR WOULD NEED CAREFUL DEFINITION AND PUBLIC

PRESENTATION, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE COMMUNITY MIGHT AS TIME

PROGRESSED PERCEIVE THEIR RESPECTIVE POWERS AS DERIVING FROM

DIFFERENT SOURCES OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY. WE SHOULD HAVE TO

ENSURE THAT THE INCREASE IN THE POWERS OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR WAS

VIEWED POSITIVELY, AS A BUILDING UP OF HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY,

RATHER THAN NEGATIVELY, AS A PRECIPITATE WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH

INFLUENCE.

2.

THE PERIOD OF OFFICE OF A DEPUTY GOVERNOR APPOINTED ON

THIS BASIS WOULD NEED CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. IT WOULD BE

CONDUCIVE TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION IF THE INCUMBENT DESTINED TO

OCCUPY THE POST IN 1997 COULD HAVE A TERM OF OFFICE WHICH

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