TNAG-1718-FCO40-2398-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 128

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CONSULTATIONS IT WOULD ALSO BE CONDUSIVE TO RESOLVING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES BY GIVING DUE REGARD TO THEIR

RESPECTIVE INTERESTS.

(C) THE BRITISH HAD PROPOSED TO KEEP CHANGES ON 1 JULY 1997 TO THE MINIMUM AND THAT CHANGES TO BE MADE SHOULD BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO THAT DATE. THIS WOULD ENABLE THE BRITISH TO CONTINUE TO EXERT INFLUENCE ON THE POLITICAL AND PERSONEL ARRANGEMENTS IN THE HKSAR. BUT SUCH ARRANGEMENTS WOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE TO BE ENDORESED BY THE CPG. THE BRITISH THEREFORE HAD RESORTED TO A ''SOFT-SELL APPROACH BY CONSULTING THE CHINESE THROUGH THE DIPLOMATIC CHANNEL RATHER THAN PLAYING THE PUBLIC OPINION CARD. THIS MIGHT BE A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY OF DRAWING THE TWO SIDES CLOSER TOGETHER.

(D) HOW THE MATTER MIGHT EVOLVE WOULD DEPEND ON WHETHER A COMPROMISE ON THE FORMULAE PROPOSED BY THE 190 GROUP AND THE 80- GROUP COULD BE REACHED AT BLDC VII. THIS IN TURN HINGED ON WHETHER THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE COULD SEE EYE TO EYE: BOTH SIDES WERE CAPABLE OF RESOLVING DIVERGENT VIEWS IN THE BLDC THROUGH MESSAGES PASSED BY ''SOME PEOPLE''.

(E) THE SOVEREIGNTY ISSUE STILL POSED SOME PROBLEMS BECAUSE THE CHINESE SIDE MUST HAVE THE FINAL SAY. HOWEVER, IF THE BRITISH WERE READY TO GIVE FULL COOPERATION, BEIJING WOULD LIKELY HANDLE CERTAIN TECHNICAL ASPECTS FLEXIBLY INEVITABLY SOME PRO-BRITISH ELEMENTS WOULD REMAIN IN THE ADMINISTRATION AFTER 1997. BUT THIS MIGHT STILL BE BETTER THAN GIVING POWER TO RADICAL LEADERS WHO ONLY MADE EMPTY

PROMISES.

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