TNAG-1469-FCO40-1998-Visits-by-members-of-the-Office-of-the-Unofficial-Members-of-1986 — Page 20

CONFIDENTIAL

down

11 and functioned smoothly. But the controversy

over the Daya Bay

nuclear project

has led to more

outspoken behaviour on the part of a minority of members

SUM.4)

in

which might cause some misgivings both Peking and

among Hong Kong people about the possible implications of introducing directly elected members into the council in

1988.

There was a long discussion on the Daya Bay project,

and Mr Renton described the Government's position at

length. It will however no doubt still be helpful if the

Prime Minister can revert to this along the lines of her

brief. For the rest discussion is likely to concentrate

on the constitutional issues covered in paragraphs 4-7 of

the brief.

press

I enclose the draft of a statement which might be

issued to the members at the conclusion of the meeting.

We have discussed it informally with the Governor. The

delegation are likely to attach particular importance to

the assurances contained

in

the paragraph on Daya Bay,

which has been cleared as necessary with other Whitehall

Departments.

the senior Unofficial member of the

Sir S Y Chung, the senior

Executive council, will not after all attend the meeting.

He is still recovering in London from

from an operation and

has been

to rest. advised by his doctors

seniority is Mr Oswald Cheung.

The next

in

When the Prime Minister

CONFIDENTIAL