TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 101

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PERSONAL FOR ACTING GOVERNOR FROM HUM, HONG KONG DEPT

1987 REVIEW: STRATEGY PAPER

FOLLOWING IS CONTINUATION OF TEXT OF HONG KONG 1987 REVIEW ON

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT

BEGINS

(C) A LIMITED DELAY

14. THERE IS HOWEVER A DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY IN THE TIMETABLE TO

WHICH WE ARE PUBLICLY COMMITTED. THIS MIGHT IN ITSELF

SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE CHANCES OF ACHIEVING COMPATIBILITY

BETWEEN THE DRAFT BASIC LAW AND THE TERMS OF THE WHITE PAPER.

THE GREEN PAPER COULD, CONSISTENT WITH OUR DECLARED TIMETABLE, BE

PUBLISHED AS LATE AS THE END OF MAY. WE BELIEVE PUBLICATION OF

THE WHITE PAPER COULD ALSO BE ALLOWED TO SLIP TO JANUARY OR EVEN

FEBRUARY 1988. IT IS THE THE ASSESSMENT OF THE ACTING GOVERNOR

THAT THIS SLIGHT EXTENSION OF THE PRESENT PROGRAMME WOULD NOT

ATTRACT INTOLERABLE CRITICISM. IT WOULD ENABLE DISCUSSION AT THE

DECEMBER 1987 BLDC PLENARY TO BE TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT,

ALTHOUGH THIS WILL NOT NECESSARILY GIVE US DEFINITIVE POINTERS AS

TO CHINESE INTENTIONS. MOREOVER WE WOULD HAVE SOME ABILITY TO

INFLUENCE TIMINGS OF THE LEGCO DEBATE ON THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT SO

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