TNAG-1718-FCO40-2398-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 111

UNCLASSA

CLASE VOB 011/1

060074

MDHOAN 8489

UNCLASSIFIED

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON

TELNO GUIDANCE 12

OF 10153OZ FEBRUARY 88

·

AND TO IMMEDIATE BONN, BRUSSELS, UKREP BRUSSELS, UKDEL NATO AND TO IMMEDIATE COPENHAGEN, THE HAGUE, LUXEMBOURG, PARIS, ROME AND TO IMMEDIATE DUBLIN, MADRID, BELGRADE, MOSCOW, UKMIS NEW YORK AND TO IMMEDIATE BIS NEW YORK, CARACAS MEXICO CITY, BRASILIA AND TO IMMEDIATE JEDDA, KUWAIT, PRETORIA, BANGKOK, JAKARTA AND TO IMMEDIATE ISLAMABAD, MANILA, PEKING, SEOUL, TOKYO, OTTAWA AND TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA, WELLINGTON, NEW DELHI, KUALA LUMPUR AND TO IMMEDIATE SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, GIBRALTAR

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG

INTRODUCTION:

1.

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED ON 10 FEBRUARY A WHITE

PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. A STATEMENT ON THE WHITE PAPER MADE BY THE SECRETARY OF

STATE IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 10 FEBRUARY IS BEING SENT

SEPARATELY IN THE RETRACT SERIES. IT SETS OUT THE BACKGROUND TO

THE WHITE PAPER AND SUMMARISES THE MAIN DECISIONS CONTAINED IN IT, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH IS THAT TEN DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1991. 2.

THE PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER IS AN IMPORTANT AND FAR REACHING DEVELOPMENT. BUT A RELATIVELY SMALL, BUT HIGHLY VOCAL, SECTION OF OPINION IN HONG KONG ARGUES THAT THE WHITE PAPER DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH, THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED THIS YEAR, AND (QUITE WRONGLY) THAT HMG HAS GONE

BACK ON PROMISES THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD BE HELD IN HONG KONG IN 1988.

LINE TO TAKE:

3.

YOU NEED NOT TAKE THE INITIATIVE IN RAISING THIS SUBJECT,

BUT IF ASKED YOU SHOULD DRAW ON THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT OF 10 FEBRUARY.

ADDITIONAL POINTS: (IF ASKED)

4.

IF IT IS SUGGESTED THAT HMG HAS GONE BACK ON PROMISES TO

INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988: NO SUCH COMMITMENT WAS GIVEN.

WE UNDERTOOK TO REVIEW THE POSITION FULLY IN 1987. THAT COMMITMENT HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN FULL. THAT REVIEW LEFT ALL

OPTIONS OPEN, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. THE REVIEW SHOWED A STRONG TREND OF PUBLIC OPINION IN

FAVOUR OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, BUT ON THE TIMING OF THEIR

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