TNAG-1455-FCO40-1978-Hong-Kong-Letters-Patent-amendments-1986 — Page 71

HICK 124/3

нки POWED!

19 JUN 1986

CONFIDENTIAL

GRS 160

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 952

OF 040205Z JUNE 86

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

27

33

ра

MIPT AND YOUR TELNO.498:

AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT.

1. THOMSON SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED IN TUR. AND LEFT A COPY OF HIS SPEAKING NOTE WITH WANG. WANG COMMENTED THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND WU XUEQIAN HAD EXCHANGED VIEWS ON POLITICAL REFORM DURING THEIR MEETING ON 23 MAY. THE BRITISH SIDE HAD HANDED OVER THREE PAPERS WHICH THE CHINESE WERE NOW STUDYING. THE THIRD OF THESE PAPERS MENTIONED THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO. WANG WISHED TO KNOW WHETHER THIS INCREASE WAS PART OF POLITICAL REFORM. WU HAD EXPRESSED CHINESE VIEWS ON THIS ON 23 MAY. THE CHINESE HOPED THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD MOVE SLOWLY.

2. THOMSON SAID THAT SPEAKING PERSONALLY, HE CONSIDERED THE PLANNED INCREASE IN NUMBERS OF OFFICIALS IN LEGCO TO BE AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE EXISTING GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, TO BE INTRODUCED FOR PRACTICAL NOT POLITICAL REASONS. IT WAS NOT A FUNDAMENTAL REFORM OF GOVERNMENT. WANG TOOK NOTE.

EVANS

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

DEP/HD PUSD

PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL

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