TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 249

thi

GRS 1100

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2487

Redacted under FOI Exemption S 27(1)

OF 25060OZ JUNE 87

SECRET

DESTBY 2509002

(21,

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

MIPT : STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT : LONGER-TERM #SSUES

FOLLOWING {ÉS TEXT OF COVERING PAPER.

BEGINS

''HISSUES CONNECTED WITH THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE

ON 23 MAY AND 14 OCTOBER 1986, SHR GEOFFREY HOWE HANDED OVER TO

FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUEQHAN TWO SETS OF PAPERS ON ISSUES CONNECTED

WITH THE QUESTOM OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN THE PRESENT STRUCTURE OF

GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, AND THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT TO BE PRESCRIBED IN THE BASHIC LAW FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMAN-

STRATIVE REGION(SAR).

2. THE FIRST SET OF PAPERS DESCRIBED HOW THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT

<INSTITUTIONS IN HONG KONG OPERATE 1 PRACTICE AND EXAMINED CERTAUM

RSSUES WHICH WOULD REQUIRE CONSIDERATION HM ORDER TO ACHIEVE CONVERGENCE.

3. THE SECOND SET OF PAPERS DEALT AN GREATER DETAIL WITH THE

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE: THE

FUTURE OF THE SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE NOW HELD BY OFFICIAL AND APPOINTED MEMBERS: AND A NUMBER OF LEGAL ISSUES ARMISHING FROM THE

DRAFTING OF THE BASING LAW.

5. THE BRITISH SIDE HAS GIVEN FURTHER CONSIDERATION TO A NUMBER

OF LONGER-TERM ISSUES CONNECTED WITH THE OVERALL STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT AND HOW CONVERGENCE WITH THE POST-1997 STRUCTURE COULD

BEST BE ACHIEVED. INT WOULD NOW LIKE TO SHARE MTS THOUGHTS WITH THE

CHINESE SIDE.

TO BE PRESCRIBEEL

IN THE

R.L.

P