GRS 250
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 28100OZ FCO
TELNO 354
OF 28084OZ JANUARY 87
SECRET
NKK
011/2
PELEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 8 JAN 1987
DESK OFFICER INDEX
Au on Taken
39
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING
38
YOUR TELNO 252: 1987 REVIEW: STRATEGY PAPER
1. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DISCUSSED THIS PAPER TODAY AND AFFIRMED THE DESIRABILITY OF AVOIDING CONFRONTATION WITH CHINA AND SYNCHRONISING THE 1987 REVIEW AND THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IN REGARD TO THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME NOT RENDER ING OURSELVES SUSCEPTIBLE TO LAME-DUCK GOVERNMENT ACCUSATIONS. MEMBERS FIRMLY RULED OUT THE OPTION OF A ONE-YEAR DELAY OF THE GREEN PAPER AND AGREED WITH OPTION (C) (LIMITED DELAY) OBSERVING THAT A ''DELAY** OF TWO MONTHS IN THE GREEN PAPER TO LATE MAY/EARLY JUNE WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH PUBLIC STATEMENTS MADE IN HONG KONG. ONE MEMBER COMMENTED THAT SZETO WAH, AS A MEMBER OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE, HAD RECENTLY REMARKED THAT THE GREEN PAPER WAS EXPECTED IN JUNE.
2. IN REGARD TO PARA 21, MEMBERS AGREED THAT CAREFUL AND THOROUGH EXPLANATION TO THE CHINESE IS MOST DESIRABLE, WITH ONE MEMBER COMMENTING THAT THIS WAS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT AS THE CHINESE WERE BECOMING MORE ACTIVE THEMSELVES IN LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR INDUCING THE PUBLIC RESPONSE THEY WOULD WISH TO THE GREEN PAPER. I BELIEVE MEMBERS WOULD BE GRAVELY DISAPPOINTED IF THE MARCH MEETING WITH WU DOES NOT EVENTUATE. I SHARE THAT VIEW. IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET IN AN EARLY HIGH LEVEL APPROACH.
3. PARAS 21 (11) AND (111) WERE AGREED, WITH THE EMPHATIC STATEMENT THAT WE MUST PRESERVE OUR POSITION THAT THE 1987 REVIEW IS A MATTER FOR US, AND THAT NOT MORE THAN TEN DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE CHINESE.
4. I SHALL BRING WITH ME A FIRST DRAFT OF THE RELEVANT SECTION OF THE GREEN PAPER WITH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL'S COMMENTS FOLLOWING
TODAY'S MEETING.
AKERS-JONES
:
YYYY
HMLNAN 7878
LIMITED
HITO
FED
MR GILLMORE
SIRD WILSON
SECRET
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.