TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 186

CONFIDENTIAL

470

ASIC 3400

See455

OCMIAN 1847

CONFIDENTIAL

PP HOKON

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

240930Z OCT

GRS 620

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

HKK

RECENED IN

011

MY

31 OCT 1986

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY

Action Taken

TELNO 2379

OF 24093OZ OCTOBER 86

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

71847

-

1

1987 REVIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

2.59 (040/6)

1. WE HAVE NOTED RECENT HONG KONG PRESS REPORTS (SUMMARISED IN

YOUR TELNO 3485 PARAS 3 AND 4) ON THE POSSIBLE RE-ESTABLISHMENT

OF AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE TO ASSESS HONG KONG OPINION IN THE 1987

REVIEW. HKG OFFICIALS WERE REPORTED AS COMMENTING THAT NO FINAL

DECISION HAD YET BEEN TAKEN ON HOW OPINION WOULD BE ASSESSED: BUT

QUOTE TO SET UP AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE

POSSIBILITIES UNQUOTE (SCMP 17 OCTOBER).

2.

ALTHOUGH DECISIONS ON THIS ARE PLAINLY STILL SOME WAY OFF, IT

WOULD BE USEFUL TO EXCHANGE VIEWS ON THIS OPTION. WE CANNOT RULE

OUT THE PROSPECT THAT PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA (PARTICULARLY

IF MARSHALLED BY VOCAL PRO-DIRECT ELECTION ELEMENTS) WILL GATHER

MOMENTUM IN THE MONTHS AHEAD.

3.

IN CONTRAST TO THE STATEMENT QUOTED IN PARA 1 ABOVE, YOUR

TELNO 3408 PARA 22 RECORDED YOUR PRESENT VIEW THAT THE CREATION

OF AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE WOULD BE NEITHER NECESSARY NOR

APPROPRIATE. WE AGREE.

1

CONFIDENTIAL