TNAG-1445-FCO40-1929-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 56

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TO IMMEDIATE FCO

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OF 1604OOZ DECEMBER 86 ·

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

1 8 DEC 1986

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Action Taken

1987 REVIEW OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: THE SURVEY OFFICE.

AT THE MEETING ON 24TH NOVEMBER 1986, THE COUNCIL ADVISED AND THE GOVERNOR ORDERED THAT A FURTHER MEMORANDUM ON THIS SUBJECT BE PREPARED, FOLLOWING MEMBERS' CONSIDERATION OF XCX(86)216. THIS MEMORANDUM ACCORDINGLY SEEKS GUIDANCE ON:

(A)

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SURVEY OFFICE AND THE MONITORS:

(B)

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE SURVEY OFFICE:

(C)

THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE MONITORS: AND

(D) THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE SURVEY OFFICE.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE SURVEY OFFICE AND THE MONITORS

2.

THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THE 1984 GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WAS COLLECTED AND ASSESSED BY THE STAFF OF THE THEN COUNCILS AND ADMINISTRATION BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT. THE ASSESSMENT OF THE PUBLIC OPINION ON THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WAS CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENT OFFICE, SEPARATE FROM THE ORDINARY MACHINERY OF THE HONG KONG · GOVERNMENT, AND ITS WORK WAS CLOSELY OBSERVED BY A MONITORING TEAM APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMON- WEALTH AFFAIRS. ONE OF THE TWO MONITORS WAS A FORMER UNITED KINGDOM CIVIL SERVANT, AND THE OTHER A HONG KONG HIGH COURT JUDGE. AT THE MEETING ON THE 24TH NOVEMBER, MEMBERS AGREED THAT NEITHER OF THESE TWO ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE 1987 REVIEW.

3.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT:

(A) THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MUST BE SEEN TO BE CAPABLE OF UNDERTAKING AN IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC OPINION ON THIS MATTER:

(B) THE SUGGESTION TO BE AVOIDED THAT THE SURVEY IS BEING MONITORED BY THE BRITISH (OR THE CHINESE) GOVERNMENT: AND

(C) IT BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED IN THE 1987 REVIEW ARE INDEED SIGNIFICANT BUT THEY ARE NOT OF SUCH ULTIMATE SIGNIFICANCE AS THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE DRAFT SINO- BRITISH AGREEMENT.

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