TNAG-1752-FCO40-2472-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 135

CONFIDENTIAL

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27 JAN 1988

Mr Hum, HKD

Mr Kaufman: Hong Kong

Маник

4214

Mr Forry on 22/1

W22)

As you know, the Secretary of State talked to Mr Kaufman on 19 January. The latter told him that his own backbenchers were to a man behind the press release which the Labour Party had put out that day. They were quite clear that there was a strong case for direct elections immediately. He understood that the Government could not give a firm decision in the debate. His own belief was that we had a choice between going for 25% directly elected in 1991 or 12% in 1988 with a further 12% in 1991. He strongly preferred the second option. He did not however intend to argue the case in an extremist way, and he fully understood Chinese sensibilities. He described Martin Lee as a "fly by night", but he had clearly had some effect on Labour backbenchers.

In the light of the attitude by then revealed, the Secretary of State did not feel able to give him the full background as he had originally intended.

21 January 1988

CC:

PS/Lord Glenarthur Mr Gillmore

Mr McLaren

Mr Houston

дебе

(A C Galsworthy)

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