TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 152

i

SECRET

72506

1

INFLUENCE OVER DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG.

THE CHINESE DIMENSION

15.

THE INTRODUCTION OF A CHIEF EXECUTIVE (DESIGNATE) BEFORE

1997 COULD BE ACHIEVED SUCCESSFULLY ONLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THIS WOULD BE NOT AN ABDICATION OF

RESPONSIBILITY BUT A PRACTICAL NECESSITY. SUCH MODIFICATIONS TO

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE WOULD WITHOUT DOUBT BE QUOTE

MATTERS RELATING TO THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT UNQUOTE ON

WHICH THE TWO SIDES ARE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION TO CONSULT. WE WOULD NEED TO EXPLAIN TO THE CHINESE

HOW WE ENVISAGED THAT THE POST WOULD FIT WITHIN THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, HOW THE INCUMBENT WOULD BE SELECTED AND HOW

POWERS WOULD BE PROGRESSIVELY DELEGATED TO HIM. IF WE SOUGHT TO

GO AHEAD WITHOUT CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE THE OBJECTIVE OF A

SMOOTH TRANSITION, BROUGHT ABOUT IN COOPERATION WITH CHINA, COULD

NOT BE ACHIEVED.

16.

SUCH CONSULTATION, IF IT LED TO AGREEMENT AND TO THE

APPOINTMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WOULD BRIDGE THE CHANGE OF

SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, WOULD OFFER US A VALUABLE MEANS OF ACQUIRING

ENHANCED INFLUENCE OVER EVENTS AFTER 1997, BECAUSE THE FIRST

CHIEF EXECUTIVE WOULD BE A CANDIDATE ACCEPTABLE TO OURSELVES AS

WELL AS TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. IT IS TRUE THAT AS A QUID PRO

QUO WE WOULD HAVE CONCEDED TO THE CHINESE INFLUENCE OVER AN

APPOINTMENT MADE BEFORE 1997. BUT THE BARGAIN WOULD BE IN OUR

FAVOUR. WE WOULD RETAIN FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE

ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 30 JUNE 1997, AS THE JOINT

DECLARATION PROVIDES. WE WOULD RETAIN CONTROL OVER THE PROCESS

BY WHICH THE CANDIDATE WAS APPOINTED, BOTH IN THE EARLY 19908 AND

NEARER 1997. THIS FORMAL POWER WOULD GIVE US THE MEANS OF

RESISTING ANY ATTEMPT BY THE CHINESE TO IMPOSE ON HONG KONG

BEFORE 1997 A CHIEF EXECUTIVE (DESIGNATE) WHO WOULD NOT BE

ACCEPTABLE TO OURSELVES OR TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

ENDS

REMAINDER OF TEXT OF DRAFT PAPER FOLLOWS IN MIFT.

HOWE LIMITED

HKD

MR GILLMORE

MR WILSON

5

SECRET

!