TNAG-1445-FCO40-1929-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 15

GRS 1100

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 17120OZ FCO

TELNO 4172

OF 17095OZ DECEMBER 86

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

(2)

SECRET

PEKING TELNO 2382 AND YOUR TELNO 2889 : REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

IN HONG KONG

1. I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS OF THE POSITION

SEEN FROM PEKING AND HAVE THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATE COMMENTS. THE

SITUATION IS EVOLVING DAY BY DAY NOT ONLY IN THE CHINESE DIMENSION

BUT ALSO IN THE HONG KONG DIMENSION (A TELEGRAM WILL FOLLOW ON

THE MOOD FOLLOWING SIR E YOUDE'S DEATH).

3.

THE WHITE PAPER IS SCHEDULED FOR PUBLICATION TOWARDS THE END

OF 1987 (SEE TIMETABLE HANDED TO WILSON IN HONG KONG RECENTLY).

OUR PRESENT ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROCESS WILL

HAVE ADVANCED SUFFICIENT FOR US TO HAVE A FAIR IDEA FROM OUR

MANY CONTACTS OF ITS CONTENTS BY ABOUT THE END OF OCTOBER 1987 EVEN

IF THE ACTUAL DRAFT HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED.

4. WITH REGARD TO YOUR TELNO 2889. I HAVE CAREFULLY REFLECTED

ON THE POSITION, NOW THAT SOME DAYS HAVE PASSED SINCE SIR EDWARD

YOUDE'S DEATH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE OR

PUBLICLY ACCEPTABLE TO USE THAT AS A REASON FOR DELAYING THE 1987

REVIEW. OUR ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING INFORMAL CONSULTATION WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, INDICATES CLEARLY THAT TO DELAY THE REVIEW WOULD BE TAKEN AS HAVING YIELDED TO PRESSURE FROM THE CHINESE, AND

·THAT ITS EFFECT ON CONFIDENCE WOULD BE SERIOUS.

SECRET

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