TNAG-1445-FCO40-1929-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 19

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(C)

3.

SPRING 1988). WOULD IT THEN BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE

CONSEQUENTIAL ARRANGEMENTS SO THAT LEGCO ELECTIONS COULD BE

HELD ON SCHEDULE IN SEPTEMBER 1988, OR WOULD IT BE NECESSARY

TO EXTEND LEGCO?

TO PUT BACK THE WHOLE PROCESS BY A FULL YEAR, EXTENDING LEGCO UNTIL 1989 AND HOLDING ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT

YEAR.

IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD SET OUT THE ADVANTAGES AND

DISADVANTAGES OF EACH OPTION AS SEEN FROM HONG KONG, IN TERMS OF:

(A) POLITICAL REACTIONS:

(B) THE PRACTICALITIES IN HONG KONG:

(C)

4.

THE INTERACTION WITH CHINESE OBJECTIVES AND THE DRAFTING OF

THE BASIC LAW. A KEY ELEMENT HERE WILL BE WHETHER THE

CONCLUSIONS OF THE SPECIAL GROUP ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE WILL

BE AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER 1987, OR WHETHER WE HAVE ANY MEANS

OF ENSURING THROUGH DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE THAT THEY

CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TOO FOR PEKING'S VIEWS, IN PARTICULAR ON (C) ABOVE, BY THE SAME DESKBY.

5. I AM SURE YOU WILL WISH TO RESTRICT KNOWLEDGE OF THE FACT

THAT WE ARE EVEN PREPARED TO CONTEMPLATE THESE OPTIONS TO THE

SMALLEST POSSIBLE CIRCLES. WE SHALL DO THE SAME.

HOWE

OCMIAN 6103

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LIMITED

HKD

FED

PS

PS/PUS

MR GILLMORE

DR WILSON

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