TNAG-1717-FCO40-2397-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 95

secure development of representative government, at a

pace and in a form which is consistent with China's plans

for the Basic Law for post-1997 Hong Kong. That is the

best way to ensure that the advances we have secured will

endure after the end of British administration.

outcome of the Hong Kong Government's review of

representative government in Hong Kong shows that

substantive numbers of people in the territory.

The

instinctively share this view: we do not believe that the

vociferous and articulate advocates of direct elections

in 1988 are representatives of the views of the community

as a whole.

We believe that the decisions to be announced in the

Hong Kong Government's White Paper on 10 February are a

fair response to public opinion in Hong Kong and to Hong

Kong's special circumstances. We can certainly deal with

any allegations of "broken promises" by HMG in this

regard: the accusations simply will not stick.