TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 286

PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE AS A RESULT OF THE WORK OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE. THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE HONG KONG SAR, IS THE PESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, BUT MANY HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN THE TASK, EITHER DIRECTLY OR AS MEMBERS OF THE BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE. PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE DRAFTING OF THE SECTION WHICH WILL PRESCRIBE HONG KONG'S POLITICAL STRUCTURE AFTER

1997 IS PARTICULARLY STRONG.

TIME-TABLE FOR THE REVIEW AND THE STATE OF PREPARATIONS

20. IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THAT A GREEN

PAPER BE PUBLISHED NO LATER THAN MAY 1987. IT IS INTENDED TO

ALLOW SOME 4-5 MONTHS FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION FOLLOWING WHICH A

WHITE PAPER WILL BE PUBLISHED IN NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.

21. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS A COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM FOR

MONITORING OPINION EXPRESSED EITHER BY INDIVIDUALS, OR THE MEDIA, ON THE SUBJECTS OF POLITICAL REFORM AND THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC

LAW. THIS SYSTEMATIC MONITORING IS BACKED UP BY THE LESS FORMAL

BUT NEVERTHELESS VALUABLE REPORTS BY DISTRICT OFFICERS OF THE CITY

AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMENT

RECEIVED BY THEM AND THEIR STAFF DURING THEIR CONTACTS WITH THE

COMMUNITY.

22. INEVITABLY, HOWEVER, ANY SYSTEM OF OPINION-GATHERING RUNS THE RISK OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GIVE DUE WEIGHT TO THE OPINIONS OF THE

LESS VOCAL SECTIONS OF THE POPULATION. IN CONJUNCTION WITH DRAWING

UP THE OUTLINE FOR THE GREEN PAPER, THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOW

CONSIDERING HOW BEST TO ASSESS PUBLIC OPINION AFTER THE 1987

GREN PAPER IS PUBLISHED.. PRESENT THINKING IS THAT THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT UNIT, ALONG THE LINES OF THAT SET UP

TO MONITOR THE DEGREE OF PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF THE SINO-BRITISH

JOINT DECLARATION IN 1984, IS NEITHER NECESSARY NOR APPROPRIATE. IT WILL BE VITAL, HOWEVER, TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT THE ASSESSMENT MECHANISM IS IMPARTIAL, GENUINE, AND BALANCED, AND THAT

STRICT CONFIDENTIALITY WILL BE OBSERVED WITH REGARD TO VIEWS

EXPRESSED BY INDIVIDUALS, SHOULD THEY SO DESIRE.

ENDS

YOUDE

YYYY

HMLNAN 3376

LIMITED

HRD

PR WILSON

Confidential

}