TNAG-1478-FCO40-2010-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1986 — Page 19

GRS 200

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 07090OZ FCO

TELNO 3279

OF 070815Z OCTOBER 86

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

INIT

SECRET

HKK 027/17

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

0 4 NOV 1986

REGISTRY

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

PA

[Action Takkn/

PA

YOUR TELNO 2156: PREPARATION OF PAPERS FOR SECRETARY OF STATE :

COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATURE AND DIRECT ELECTIONS.

AT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING THIS MORNING, MEMBERS

UNANIMOUSLY CONSIDERED THAT THE PROPOSED NEW PARAGRAPH 14 SHOULD NOT (NOT) BE ADDED TO THE PAPER UNDER REFERENCE. IN THEIR VIEW, ANY PARA ON THESE LINES MAY BE CONSTRUED AS MEANING THAT HMG AND

HKG ARE KEEN ON INTRODUCING DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988, WHICH WILL

DISTURB THE CHINESE.

2.

MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE SUBJECT OF THE TRANSITION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION BY THE GOVERNOR UP TO 1997 AND BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

THEREAFTER WOULD BE DEALT WITH ORALLY BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE FIRST INSTANCE. MEMBERS LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THE SUBJECT

WITH HIM ON 11TH OCTOBER.

3.

A SMALL TEXTUAL AMENDMENT IS NECESSARY IN THE PAPER ON THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE, PARAGRAPH 5(B). ADD AFTER WHETHER THE WORDS THE GENERAL CONTENT OF '*. THIS

TAKES ACCOUNT OF THE POINT THAT BILLS ARE NOT INFREQUENTLY SUBJECT

TO AMENDMENT BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE BEING PASSED.

4. MEMBERS ALSO NOTED THAT THE PAPER ON THE BASIC LAW LEGAL

ISSUES WOULD PROBABLY BE HANDED OVER TO THE CHINESE BY DR. WILSON.

YOUDE

128

YYYY

HMLNAN 2903

HONG KONG AGREEMENT:

RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH DEPT (FE)

DEP/HD/PUSD

PS/MR RENTON

SIR W HARDING MR WILSON

SECRET

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS