TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 197

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8465 1

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LATE 1987/

EARLY 1988

OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FORESHADOW THEMES OF WHITE

PAPER.

?VISIT TO PEKING BY SECRETARY OF STATE

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(DEPENDING ON LIKELY OUTCOME OF REVIEW)

DESCRIBES CONTENT OF WHITE PAPER.

19.

THE CHRONOLOGY BECOMES MORE TENTATIVE AND INCOMPLETE AS

WE LOOK FURTHER AHEAD. THE EVALUATION OF HONG KONG OPINION ON

THE ISSUES COVERED IN THE REVIEW WILL OF COURSE REFLECT THE NEED

FOR CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE. THE DIALOGUE CAN BE SUPPLEMENTED

BY DEMARCHES BY SIR R EVANS IN PEKING, AND POSSIBLY BY VISITS TO

PEKING BY SUCH SENIOR HONG KONG VISITORS AS THE NEW POLITICAL

ADVISER.

20.

WHERE TIMING IS CONCERNED, AN ADVANTAGE OF DELAYING

PUBLICATION OF THE GREEN PAPER IS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT. IF

PUBLICATION IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S

PROPOSED STOPOVER IN PEKING DURING THE WHITSUN RECESS (LATE MAY)

CAN BE USED TO REINFORCE OUR MESSAGE ON ITS CONTENT OR TO RESOLVE

ANY REMAINING POINTS. PUBLICATION IN MAY WOULD SHARPLY REDUCE

THE UTILITY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT.

21.

A CONSOLIDATED TIMETABLE OF EVENTS IN 1987 IS ANNEXED.

IT TAKES AS ITS BASIS THE QUOTE LIMITED DELAY UNQUOTE OPTION FOR

THE REVIEW DESCRIBED IN PARAS 12-13 ABOVE.

HANDLING OF THE GREEN PAPER

22.

A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT POINT FOR US TO DECIDE IS THE

NATURE OF OUR CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE GREEN (AND IN

DUE COURSE, THE WHITE) PAPER. THE CHINESE HAVE ASKED FOR ENOUGH

ADVANCE NOTICE QUOTE TO PERMIT STUDY UNQUOTE. IT WOULD BE

CONSISTENT WITH PAST PRACTICE FOR US TO GIVE THE CHINESE AN

ADVANCE TEXT, BUT FORMAL CONSULTATION ON THE BASIS OF A DRAFT

WOULD EVIDENTLY LAY US OPEN TO UNDESIRABLE PRESSURES.

23.

THE FOLLOWING APPROACH MIGHT BEST RECONCILE OUR VARIOUS

OBJECTIVES:

(I)

THE THEMES TO BE COVERED IN THE GREEN PAPER, AND THE

APPROACH TO BE ADOPTED TO THE ISSUE OF DIRECT ELECTION, WOULD BE

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I THE ROLIGHLY.