TNAG-1716-FCO40-2396-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 164

SECRET

130722

MDHOAN 6239

SECRET FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 66

OF 08142OZ JANUARY 88

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

г

HERBOUL нев

CRIVED IN REGISTRY 15 JAN 1988

DESK OFFICER

CHOEX

PA

Action Taken

TOP COP DIST ?

YOUR TELNOS 3 AND 60: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER

1

·

WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE REDRAFTING THE WHITE PAPER IN THE LIGHT OF EXCO'S COMMENTS. WE HAVE NONETHELESS SOME GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE DRAFT CHAPTER 1 IN FIRST TUR, WHICH YOU MAY WISH TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT IN YOUR REDRAFT.

(D)

(E)

(F)

(G)

(A) PARA 1, SECOND SENTENCE: WE FIND THE REFERENCES TO

(B)

QUOTE SYSTEM UNQUOTE AND QUOTE PROCESS UNQUOTE A LITTLE UNCLEAR. WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE IMPLICATION OF THIS SENTENCE IS THAT APPOINTED MEMBERS ARE IN NO SENSE REPRESENTATIVE.

/

PARA 1 THIRD SENTENCE: WE SUGGEST THAT GREATER EMPHASIS BE PLACED ON THE CHANGES IN 1985: THE SENTENCE MIGHT CONCLUDE QUOTE ... AND

AND, ACCORDINGLY, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REORGANISED IN 1985 WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF 24 INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS UNQUOTE.

(C) PARA 1, FOURTH AND FIFTH SENTENCES: WE SUGGEST THAT THE

REFERENCE TO QUOTE INTENTION UNQUOTE SHOULD BE TO GOVERNMENT'S QUOTE COMMITMENT UNQUOTE, AND THAT THE GREEN PAPER WAS QUOTE THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT

COMMITMENT UNQUOTE.

PARA 2, FINAL SENTENCE: WE SUGGEST THIS SHOULD CONCLUDE QUOTE .... EXPECTATIONS OF SOCIETY WHILE MAINTAINING POLITICAL STABILITY

/

• ...

.. UNQUOTE.

PARA 3 FIRST SENTENCE: WE SUGGEST THIS SHOULD READ

QUOTE THIS REQUIREMENT CONTINUES TO SHAPE THE GOVERNMENT'S THINKING ON THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT UNQUOTE.

PARA 3, SECOND SENTENCE: THE USE OF QUOTE SOPHISTICATED UNQUOTE IMPLIES THAT EARLIER SYSTEMS WERE

UNSOPHISTICATED. PERHAPS SOMETHING ON THE LINES QUOTE DEVELOPED IN PARALLEL UNQUOTE WOULD BE MORE

APPROPRIATE.

WE NOTE YOU WILL BE REDRAFTING THE OPENING SENTENCE OF PARA 4 TO TAKE EXCO'S COMMENTS INTO ACCOUNT.