TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 51

Z.CZC

MILNAN 2474 OCMIAN 2474

SECRET

OO HOKON

00 PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO HOKON

1309502 AUG

GRS 800

SECRET

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 2159

OF 13095OZ AUGUST 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

SECRET

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

72474 - 1

нав

1 Hab onli

13 ALL NO

YOUR TELNOS 3013-14 AND PEKING TELNO 1414: STRUCTURE OF

GOVERNMENT· LONGER TERM ISSUES: GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE

1.

THANK YOU FOR THE DRAFT PAPER AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON ITS

PRESENTATION TO THE CHINESE.

2.

WE SEE NO DIFFICULTY IN PRINCIPLE WITH HANDING OVER A

PAPER AT AN APPROPRIATE STAGE, AND OUR INITIAL REACTION IS THAT

THE DRAFT IS ON GENERALLY SENSIBLE LINES. BUT WE DOUBT WHETHER

NOW WOULD BE THE BEST TIME FOR US TO PUT IT IN TO THE CHINESE.

IN PARA 2 OF YOUR FIRST TUR YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A LESS

IMMEDIATE NEED FOR US TO PUT ACROSS OUR THINKING ON THIS ISSUE

THAN IN THE CASE OF TRILOGY IV, WHERE WE WISHED TO ANTICIPATE

BLDC DISCUSSION ON THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE SHAPE

OF THE SAR LEGISLATURE. WE FEEL THAT THERE ARE OTHER ARGUMENTS

WHICH POINT AGAINST PRESENTING THE PAPER TO THE CHINESE AT THIS

STAGE

(A)

WE SHOULD NOT OVERLOAD THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE CHANNELS

WE HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR FEEDING OUR THOUGHTS IN TO THE

BASIC LAW DRAFTING PROCESS. WE HAVE IN THE PAST FEW

WEEKS GIVEN THE CHINESE SIDE THREE VERY SUBSTANTIAL

1

SECRET

63