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PAPERS ON CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS (TRILOGY IV). WE WANT
IF POSSIBLE TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE ON THE ISSUES WHICH
THEY ADDRESS. WE DOUBT WHETHER THE CHINESE WILL HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO FOCUS ON AN ADDITIONAL PAPER AT THIS STAGE.
INDEED THERE IS A RISK THAT THE IMPACT OF THE FIRST THREE
WOULD BE DIMINISHED: OR THAT THE EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WOULD
BE CORRESPONDINGLY MORE SUPERFICIAL.
IN PARTICULAR WE DOUBT WHETHER IT WOULD ACHIEVE MUCH IF WE
FED IN THIS EXTRA PAPER BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S
VISIT IN LATE SEPTEMBER. WE MUST ASSUME THAT DISCUSSION
ON THE REVIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WILL
DOMINATE. WE HOPE THERE WILL ALSO BE TIME FOR
DISCUSSION OF TRILOGY IV AND THE ISSUES WHICH IT RAISES
IN CONNECTION WITH THE BASIC LAW. WE SEE VERY LITTLE
PROSPECT OF THERE BEING TIME LEFT ALSO FOR ANY WORTHWHILE
DISCUSSION OF THE DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE GEC.
IF
WE PUT THE PAPER IN NOW IT COULD SINK WITHOUT TRACE.
MORE SUBSTANTIVELY, WE WONDER WHETHER WE RUN SOME RISK OF
SENDING THE CHINESE CONFUSING SIGNALS IF WE GO INTO TOO
MUCH DETAIL ON THE GEC CONCEPT FOR THE PRESENT. WE HAVE
MAINTAINED THE LINE THUS FAR (PUBLICLY, WITH THE CHINESE,
AND IN TRILOGY IV) THAT IT IS BEING PUT FORWARD AT THIS
STAGE AS ONE OPTION FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF
THE REVIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. SUPERFICIALLY YOUR
DRAFT PAPER IS CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN THAT POSITION. BUT IN
PROVIDING SO MUCH MORE DETAIL ON HOW THE GEC MIGHT BE
CONSTITUTED AND ON ITS FUNCTIONS WE COULD BE SEEN AS
TREATING THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW AS A FOREGONE
CONCLUSION. THERE IS A RISK OF UNDERMINING THE POSITION
WHICH WE TAKE WITH THE CHINESE ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THE
REVIEW.
WE HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED AN OUTLINE OF OUR THINKING ON
THE GEC IN TRILOGY IV. THERE IS AN ARGUMENT FOR WAITING
FOR THE GOVERNOR'S EXCHANGE WITH CHINESE POLICY-MAKERS ON
TRILOGY IV, TO SEE HOW THE CHINESE REACT TO THE GENERAL
IDEA. THIS FEED-BACK COULD HELP US ELABORATE ON THE
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