TNAG-1598-FCO40-2191-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 104

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TELNO 3215

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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

1. MKB 011/2

15 DEC 1987

037411

MDHOAN 4640

Res

YOUR TELNOS 4647-8 AND PEKING TELNO 2138: REVIEW OF

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR EXPLANATION OF THE PRACTICAL

IMPLICATIONS OF EXCO'S ADVICE. BUT WE HAVE TO SAY THAT WHAT YOU

NOW PROPOSE STRIKES US AS RATHER A MESSY PROCEDURE.

1.

2.

WE HAVE BEEN TAKING THE PUBLIC LINE, BOTH IN LONDON AND HONG KONG, THAT NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN TAKEN ON THE ISSUES RAISED IN THE REVIEW: THAT THE FULL RANGE OF ISSUES MUST BE GIVEN

PROPER CONSIDERATION TOGETHER: AND THAT OUR DECISIONS WILL BE

MADE PUBLIC IN A CO-ORDINATED WAY IN THE WHITE PAPER. WE HAVE

ASSUMED THAT YOU WOULD WISH TO PRESENT THESE DECISIONS IN THE

WHITE PAPER AS A SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED AND COHERENT RESPONSE TO

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ON THE WHOLE TOPIC OF

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. IT

SEEMS TO US THAT IT WILL DETRACT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM OUR EVENTUAL

PRESENTATION OF THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW IF A DECISION ON

CERTAIN ASPECTS HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED IN ADVANCE IN A PIECEMEAL AND

APPARENTLY IMPROVISATORY WAY.

3.

·

YOU WILL ALSO APPRECIATE THAT A DECISION ARISING FROM SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THE REVIEW, HOWEVER LIMITED AND TECHNICAL IT MIGHT IN ITSELF BE, MUST BE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF MINISTERS. WE HAD HOPED TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT TO THEM A CLEARLY

ARGUED RATIONALE COVERING THE FULL RANGE OF DECISIONS TO BE TAKEN. THE CHINESE COULD ALSO BE FORGIVEN FOR BEING TAKEN ABACK

WHEN THEY ARE SUDDENLY NOTIFIED OF AN IMMINENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON

ONE ISOLATED ASPECT OF THE REVIEW, EVEN IF IT IS AN ASPECT IN WHICH UP TO NOW THEY HAVE NOT DISPLAYED ANY PARTICULAR INTEREST.

4.

THIS.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER COMMENTS ON ALL WE DO NOT WANT TO MAKE LIFE MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU, AND IF YOU ARE CONVINCED THAT IT IS NECESSARY WE SHALL OF COURSE PUT THE

MATTER TO MINISTERS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. BUT AS YOU WILL SEE WE DO HAVE DOUBTS ABOUT THE PRESENTATIONAL IMPLICATIONS, NOT LEAST IN HONG KONG, OF WHAT YOU NOW PROPOSE.

HOWE