TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 193

(D)

(E)

(F)

(G)

SECRET

64066 1

-

WE DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT IN PARA 5 SECOND

SENTENCE. MIGHT IT BE OMITTED?

IN PARA 7, WE ARE NOT SURE HOW AN UNOFFICIAL MAJORITY

WOULD UNDERLINE THE ADVISORY FUNCTION OF THE COUNCIL

WOULD IT BE MORE ACCURATE TO REPLACE THE. FIRST 8 WORDS

WITH A FORMULA SUCH AS QUOTE TO MAINTAIN THE EXISTING

ARRANGEMENTS WITH WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR,

AND TO ENSURE THAT IN FUTURE THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO

REFLECT HONG KONG OPINION IN A GENUINELY REPRESENTATIVE

WAY,

ETC UNQUOTE? WE ARE ALSO UNSURE WHY IT WOULD

...

BE PREFERABLE NOT TO SPECIFY PROPORTIONS OF MEMBERSHIP

(FOR FLEXIBILITY?).

WHILE WE UNDERSTAND WHY EXCO SUGGESTED (POINT (F)) THAT

THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD NOT HAVE THE POWER TO

RECOMMEND THAT THE APPOINTMENT OF A MEMBER OF THE CEC, BE

REVOKED, WE FEEL THAT THIS COULD LEAD TO CONSTITUTIONAL DEADLOCK. HE IS BOUND TO ACCEPT EXCO'S ADVICE, BUT COULD

BE CONFRONTED BY A REFRACTORY MEMBER WHOSE ADVICE HE

REGARDED AS CONSISTENTLY ILL-JUDGED. WE SUGGEST THAT

EXCO MIGHT BE INVITED TO REFLECT FURTHER ON BOTH ASPECTS

OF THIS POTENTIAL CONTRADICTION.

IN PARA 9 FIRST SENTENCE, WE PREFER QUOTE COLLECTIVELY

UNQUOTE TO QUOTE ON A CORPORATE BASIS UNQUOTE AND SUGGEST

ADDITION OF QUOTE AND DECIDES ON ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

UNQUOTE AT THE END OF THE PARA.

(H)

(I)

WE ACCEPT THE CASE FOR SUBSTANTIAL CROSS-MEMBERSHIP

BETWEEN THE CEC AND THE LEGISLATURE (EXCO'S POINT (G)),

BUT FEEL THAT TOO MUCH PRECISION SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN THE

PRESENT PAPER. WE AGREE THAT FURTHER CAREFUL THOUGHT IS

NECESSARY.

IN PARA 11 (B) WE WOULD PREFER TO BE MORE HYPOTHETICAL

2

SECRET