TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 102

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AS TO ACHIEVE THE BEST INTERACTION WITH THE BLDC PLENARY. WE COULD

AIM

FOR THE DEBATE TO BE HELD EITHER FIRST, SO THAT HONG KONG VIEWS

HAD BEEN MADE CLEAR TO THE BLDC, OR AFTERWARDS SO THAT THE BLDC

DISCUSSIONS WERE FULLY REFLECTED IN DEBATE.

WHICH OPTION?

IT

15. THE POTENTIAL DANGERS IN DELAYING THE REVIEW FOR A YEAR

CLEARLY OUTWEIGH THE POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES OF SUCH AN OPTION.

WOULD CAUSE A MAJOR POLITICAL STORM IN HONG KONG, WHICH WOULD

UNDOUBTEDLY SERIOUSLY DAMAGE CONFIDENCE LOCALLY AND POSSIBLY

OVERSEAS. WHILE THERE ARE ALSO POTENTIAL RISKS TO CONFIDENCE IN

THE ALTERNATIVE COURSES WHICH ARE MORE LIKELY TO LEAD TO

DISAGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE, WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT A YEAR'S

DELAY IN THE REVIEW WOULD CAST SUCH WIDESPREAD DOUBT ON OUR

AUTHORITY IN HONG KONG AS TO RESULT IN SERIOUS AND LASTING DAMAGE

TO CONFIDENCE THERE. ACCORDINGLY MINISTERS AGREED THAT THE NEW

GOVERNOR, IN RESPONSE TO ANY PRESS QUESTIONS, SHOULD SAY THAT HE

KNEW OF NO REASON FOR ANY CHANGE IN THE PRESENT GENERAL TIMETABLE

FOR PRODUCTION OF THE GREEN PAPER. HE DID NOT IN THE EVENT HAVE

TO USE THAT FORMULATION, BUT HE DID STATE THAT THE REVIEW WOULD GO

AHEAD AS PLANNED.

16.

LIMITED DELAY AS DESCRIBED IN PARA 14 ABOVE WOULD BRING US

SOME TACTICAL ADVANTAGE. IT MAY PERMIT A BETTER RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN THE REVIEW PROCESS AND THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW.

CHINESE -SUSPICIONS WOULD NOT BE GREATLY REDUCED, BUT WE WOULD

HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO EXPLAIN OUR INTENTIONS TO THE CHINESE

AND A SLIGHTLY GREATER MARGIN OF MANOEUVRE. PUBLICATION OF THE

GREEN PAPER AT THE END OF MAY WOULD MEET OUR TACTICAL NEEDS,

WHILE BEING CONSISTENT WITH ALL EARLIER PUBLIC STATEMENTS. FOR

PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER WE COULD BEST AIM FOR FEBRUARY, TO

GIVE US MAXIMUM MANOEUVRABILITY.

CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE

17. DURING 1987 IT WILL BE VITAL TO MAINTAIN THE CLOSEST

POSSIBLE DIALOGUE WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE

REVIEW. IT WILL BE NECESSARY:

(I) TO REASSURE THEM OF OUR INTENTIONS IN CONDUCTING THE REVIEW:

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