GRS 430
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 18090DZ FCO
TELNO 4187
OF 180825Z DECEMBER 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
645
SEORET
FKK onli
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
1 8 DEC 1986
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
shay
on Taken
YOUR TELNO 2900: POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT OF THE 1987 REVIEW
546
TOP COPY Q DIST 7?
1. I DO NOT THINK THAT DELAYING THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER
TO THE END OF JANUARY 1988 WOULD BE SEEN IN HONG KONG AS AN
EXTENSION OF THE PRESENT TIMETABLE. ANY PUBLIC MENTION OF THE TIMING
OF THE WHITE PAPER HAS BEEN IN RELATIVELY BROAD TERMS SUCH AS **AROUND THE END OF 1987''. I CONSIDER THEREFORE THAT WE COULD LIVE
WITH ANY CRITICISM ON THIS POINT.
2. AS REGARDS THE POSSIBILITY OF DELAYING PUBLICATION OF THE GREEN
PAPER UNTIL JUNE 1987, WE ARE ON PUBLIC RECORD AS SAYING FIRMLY AND
REPEATEDLY THAT IT WOULD BE ISSUED IN APRIL OR MAY. I AM NOT SURE
THAT IT WOULD BE A CONVINCING ARGUMENT NOW REPEAT NOW THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR WOULD BE HELPED BY HAVING ONE ADDITIONAL MONTH TO GET TO GRIPS WITH THE ISSUES. WE DO NOT KNOW WHO THE NEW GOVERNOR WILL BE, NOR WHEN HE WILL ARRIVE. EVEN IF HE IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH HONG KONG, THE CONSULTATION PERIOD ITSELF WILL BE LENGTHY AND SUBSEQUENT
PROCESSES EXTENSIVE. I SEE NO OBJECTION TO OUR PRESENT TARGET OF
EARLY APRIL BEING AMENDED TO EARLY MAY.
3. I TAKE YOUR POINT THAT IT MAY BE OPTIMISTIC TO THINK THAT WE SHALL HAVE A FAIR IDEA OF THE CONTENTS OF THE BASIC LAW BY AROUND THE END OF OCTOBER 1987. BUT THIS IS OUR PRESENT ASSESSMENT, OBTA-
INED FROM THOSE WHO ARE CLOSELY INVOLVED. ACCORDING TO THE TIMETABLE GIVEN BY LI HOU TO SIR E YOUDE, THE REPORT OF THE BLDC SUB-GROUP ON THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED BY THE BLDC AT ITS AUGUST MEETING. THERE IS NO DOUBT, HOWEVER, THAT THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROCESS IS A HIGHLY CONFUSED AND CONFUSING OPERATION AND THAT THE SCHEDULE MAY CHANGE AGAIN BEFORE THEN.
AKERS-JONES
YYYY
HMLNAN 6256
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LIMITED
HITO
FED As
Ps/mm RENTON
As I pus MA GILLMORE MR WILSON
SECRET
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