TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 37

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MOREOVER, STRONG OF INIONS AGAINST DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE

EXPRESSED BY SOME OF THE 7 HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF

THE BLDC DRAFTING THE RELEVANT SECTION OF THE BASIC LAW.**

E) PARA. 33. AS IN PARA 14, THIS PARAGRAPH TENDS TO CONFUSE OPINIONS RELATED TO 1988 AND 1997. 1 SUGGEST, THAT THE SECOND SENTENCE SHOULD

END - ".....AT THE SAME CONCLUSION ON THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE OF

DIRECT ELECTIONS. AND THE FOURTH SENTENCE SHOULD END -

.. VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENT ON WHETHER DIRECT

ELECTIONS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988.''

F) PARA. 34. I THINK THAT THIS PARAGRAPH TRIES TO COVER TOO MANY POINTS IN TOO FEW WORDS, AS WELL AS FALLING INTO THE TRAP REFERRED TO IN PARA. 3 ABOVE. I SUGGEST THAT THE LAST 3 SENTENCES

SHOULD BE REPLACE BY

THIS MIGHT NOT IN ITSELF PRESENT REAL PROBLEMS FOR THE CHINESE.

THEY SEEM, HOWEVER, TO FEAR THAT IT WOULD BE MERELY THE FIRST STEP ON THE SLIPPERY SLOPE TO A FULLY DIRECTLY-ELECTED LEGISLATURE.

AS FAR AS HONG KONG OPINION IS CONCERNED, DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL NOT

IN THEMSELVES GUARANTEE THE AUTONOMY OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997: THIS

WILL NEED TO BE ACHIEVED IN A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS. BUT THE

INTRODUCTION OF EVEN A FEW DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1988 WILL HAVE

AN IMPORTANT SYMBOLIC EFFECT. WE WILL NEED TO KEEP ALL THESE POINTS

VERY FIRMLY IN MIND WHEN WE CONSIDER WHETHER A DIRECTLY ELECTED

ELEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988.**

5. GIVEN THE CHANGES IN THE THRUST OF BOTH PAPERS, AND

PARTICULARLY THAT ON THE GOVERNOR AND THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO CIRCULATE THEM, WITH THE USUAL CAVEATS, TO

EXCO FOR THEIR MEETING ON 4 NOVEMBER. IF YOU SEE NO OBJECTION TO

THIS, I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW DESK BY 31003OZ WHAT CHANCES HAVE

BEEN MADE TO THE TEXTS IN TURS.

YOUDE

HMLNAN 3930

LIMITED

HD/HKD PS

PS/MR RENT ON

MR GILLMORE MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ROV.

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