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UNCLASSIFIED
122607
MDHOAN 6069
UNCLASSIFIED FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 42
OF 06160OZ JANUARY 88
INFO ROUTINE PEKING
YOUR TELNO 21
1.
3
HURB 011/2
: VISIT OF MARTIN LEE
TOP CORY Q DIGT 7
LORD GLENARTHUR'S LETTER TO MARTIN LEE (DATED 30 DECEMBER) IS BEING SENT BY FACSIMILE TODAY.
2.
TEXT AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
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 THE 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.
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.
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 INTENTION TO PROCEED WITH 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.
IN CONSIDERING THIS ISSUE THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS HAVE TAKEN CARE TO CONSULT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AT EVERY STAGE. THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW
WHICH TOOK PLACE IN 1984. IT WAS ALSO THE PURPOSE OF THE 1987 GREEN PAPER, WHICH CARRIES OUT IN FULL THE COMMITMENTS MADE IN THE 1984 WHITE PAPER.
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