TNAG-1600-FCO40-2193-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 65

760

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TELNO 3329

TO DESKBY 22010OZ HONG KONG

OF 21110OZ DECEMBER 87

CONFIDENTI

HEB 01/2

RECLIVED IN REGISTRY

22 DEC 1987

DENK AAPKO INOPK

...

072127

MDHOAN 5410

USIO

VISIT OF MARTIN LEE

FOLLOWING IS DRAFT OF A LETTER FROM LORD

GLENARTHUR IN REPLY TO

MARTIN LEE'S LETTER OF 8 DECEMBER TO THE PRIME MINISTER. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 22083OZ.

BEGINS:

1. I MUCH REGRET THAT YOU DID NOT FEEL ABLE TO GO THROUGH WITH THE MEETING PLANNED FOR 8 DECEMBER. THROUGH ME YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE KNOWN TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT YOUR CONCERNS AND THOSE OF YOUR ENTIRE DELEGATION. AS THE MINISTER IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG I WAS READY TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.

2.

BEFORE YOU BROUGHT OUR DISCUSSION TO AN END YOU HANDED ME A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE PRIME MINISTER. THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO HER ATTENTION, AS YOU REQUESTED, AND I HAVE BEEN ASKED BY HER TO REPLY.

3.

IN YOUR LETTER YOU SUGGEST

THAT THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG

GOVERNMENTS HAVE BROKEN PROMISES TO DEVELOP REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. OUR INTENITON TO PROCEED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG REMAINS UNCHANGED. I SUGGEST HOWEVER THAT IT IS RIGHT TO DO THIS PRUDENTLY WITH FULL REGARD TO HONG KONG'S CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ONE PARTICULAR MODEL OR FORM. HONG KONG MUST DEVELOP ITS OWN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS SUITED TO ITS CIRCUMSTANCES AND REQUIREMENTS, AND WHICH MEETS THE WISHES OF ITS

PEOPLE.

4.

IN CONSIDERING THIS ISSUE THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS HAVE TAKEN CARE TO CONSULT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO EVERY STAGE. THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW WHICH TOOK PLACE IN 1984. THIS WAS AGAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE 1987 GREEN PAPER, WHICH CARRIES OUT IN FULL THE COMMITMENTS MADE IN THE 1984 WHITE

PAPER.

5.

I REPEAT THAT NO PROMISES HAVE BEEN BROKEN. THE 1984 WHITE PAPER DID NOT, AS YOU CLAIM IN YOUR LETTER, CONTAIN A COMMITMENT

IT THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGCO WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988.

PUBLIC OPINION (NEXT THREE

DID NO MORE THAN RECORD THE STATE OF WORDS UNDERLINED) AT THE TIME ON THE SUBJECT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS

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