TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 147

SECRET

72501 1

-

21.

IT IS PROPOSED THAT A FURTHER SHORT PAPER SHOULD BE

PREPARED FOR TRANSMISSION TO THE CHINESE, INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT

OF THE CREATION OF A GOVERNMENT POST FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

(DESIGNATE) IN ADVANCE OF 1997. THIS WOULD BE PASSED TO THE

CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER UNDER COVER OF A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM

THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY. THERE WILL BE

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INFORMAL DISCUSSION OF THE PAPER WHEN THE

BRITISH TEAM FOR THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP (JLG)

VISITS PEKING FOR A MEETING OF THE GROUP IN LATE NOVEMBER

(ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT INTENDED THAT THIS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN THE

JLG) AND WHEN THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG GOES TO PEKING ON OTHER

BUSINESS IN EARLY DECEMBER.

RECOMMENDATION

22.

(I)

(II)

IT IS (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) RECOMMENDED THAT MINISTERS:

AGREE (NEXT TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) IN PRINCIPLE THAT WE

SHOULD SEEK TO SECURE CHINESE AGREEMENT TO A PROCESS

WHEREBY A POST OF DEPUTY GOVERNOR WOULD BE CREATED IN THE

EARLY 1990S AND FILLED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (DESIGNATE)

IN ADVANCE OF 1997:

AGREE THAT A PAPER SHOULD BE PASSED TO THE CHINESE

FOREIGN MINISTER INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT IN GENERAL

TERMS:

(III)

NOTE THE CONSEQUENTIAL ISSUES DISCUSSED IN THE ANNEX TO

THIS PAPER. MINISTERS WILL BE CONSULTED FURTHER ON THESE

IN THE LIGHT OF THE CHINESE REACTION.

ENDS

HOWE

OCMIAN 2501

NNNN

YYYY

MAIN

LIMITED

HKD

MR GILLMORE

MR WILSON

3

SECRET