TNAG-1531-FCO40-2095-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-general-1987 — Page 127

GRS 850

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO DESK BY 24090OZ FCO

TELNO 3937

OF 24052OZ NOVEMBER 86

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

Confidential

kayden

моле No Owh pre cleN JR replies

with Ho arap но

(as awarded)

FOR LAYDEN, HKD, FROM GOVERNOR

MY SECOND IPT: MY VISIT TO LONDON

1.

TEXT OF DRAFT ANSWERS TO SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS IS AS

FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

Kec.

POLITICAL REFORMS

Q1.

THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS INDICATIONS FROM CHINESE OFFICIALS,

MAINLAND BLDC MEMBERS AND SECTIONS OF THE OFFICIAL CHINESE MEDIA

THAT THE 1987 REVIEW SHOULD BE PUT OFF UNTIL THE FIRST DRAFT OF

THE SECTION OF THE BASIC LAW ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM IS

READY. THIS WOULD ENSURE CONVERGENCE BETWEEN POLITICAL REFORMS

IN HONG KONG AND THE BASIC LAW. DO YOU SEE THIS HAPPENING?

A1.

BOTH THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS ARE COMMITTED

TO HOLDING THE 1987 REVIEW AND TO INCLUDING IN IT THE QUESTION

OF WHETHER AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED

IN HONG KONG IN 1988. IT WILL BE A GENUINE REVIEW, WITHOUT PRECONCEIVED IDEAS AND WITHOUT PRE-DETERMINATION OF THE OUTCOME.

FULL ACCOUNT WILL BE TAKEN OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

Q2. DID YOU DISCUSS THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE** WITH

BRITISH MINISTERS?

A2.

MUCH OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED INEVITABLY CONCERNED THE IMPLEME-

NTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF

GOVERNMENT IN 1997.

Q3. DID YOU DISCUSS THE METHOD OF ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC OPINION

TO THE 1987 REVIEW?

A3.

Q4.

THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL QUITE SOON.

WILL YOU RAISE THESE SUBJECTS WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS DURING

YOUR VISIT TO PEKING?

A4.

1 EXPECT TO MEET CHINESE OFFICIALS WHILE IN PEKING. NO DOUBT WE WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL

INTEREST.

Confidential VIETNAMESE