TNAG-1598-FCO40-2191-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 79

За

Redacted under FOI exemption section 27(1).

SECRET

SECRET

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 3242

OF 111515Z DECEMBER 87

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

HKB Q1/2

нк

15 DEC 1987

ES

01/2

TOP COPY Q DIST.?

046006

MDHOAN 4822

YOUR TELNOS 4701-2: REVIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

1.

WE HAVE NOW CONSULTED MINISTERS. THEY HAVE COMMENTED THAT IT IS VERY REGRETTABLE THAT GREATER ADVANCE NOTICE OF THIS PROPOSAL COULD NOT HAVE BEEN GIVEN. THEY ARE CONCERNED IN PARTICULAR BY THE PRESENTATIONAL ASPECTS, AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT CRITICS OF THE REVIEW (SUCH AS MR MARTIN LEE) WILL PICK UP THIS ELEMENT OF APPARENT IMPROVISATION TO CAST DOUBT ON THE WHOLE PROCESS. THEY HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY HOW THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAN BEST BE PRESENTED SO AS TO MINIMISE THE LIKELIHOOD OF CRITICISM.

DESPITE THESE CONCERNS, AND SUBJECT TO OUR CONSIDERATION OF THE PRESENTATIONAL LINE WHICH YOU PROPOSE TO ADOPT THEY DO NOT SEE THAT THERE IS ANY ALTERNATIVE BUT, RELUCTANTLY, TO ACCEPT WHAT YOU PROPOSE.

2.

4.

WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW IN DUE COURSE WHAT LINE YOU PROPOSE TO TAKE IN ANNOUNCING THE DECISIONS, AND IN PARTICULAR IN COUNTERING THE CRITICISM THAT THIS CASTS DOUBT ON THE COHERENCE OF OUR RESPONSE TO THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW.

5.

WE HAVE NO COMMENTS ON THE REVISED SPEAKING NOTE FOR PEKING CONTAINED IN SECOND TUR, WHICH STRIKES US AS VERY CLEAR. 6.

FOR PEKING. PLEASE NOW TAKE EARLY ACTION WITH THE CHINESE, USING THE SPEAKING NOTE IN SECOND TUR.

HOWE

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