Joy
SECRET
18
066314
MDHOAN 2097
SECRET
FM FCO
TO DESKBY 31010OZ HONG KONG
TELNO 265
OF 30180OZ JANUARY 90
HKG 012 it
RECEIVE
0 2FEB 1990
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
DESE
INDEX
P
YOUR TELNOS 365-7: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WE ARE SORRY THAT OUR INTENTION IN FIRST TUR WAS NOT CLEAR. IT SEEMS TO US THAT ISSUES OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OTHER THAN THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS HAVE TAKEN ON AN INCREASED IMPORTANCE FOLLOWING THE BLDC SUB-GROUP MEETING.
1.
WE HAVE THEREFORE HAD TO THINK VERY QUICKLY ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD ADDRESS THESE ISSUES WITH THE CHINESE AND TO WHAT EXTENT THEY SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR EXCHANGES WITH THEM ABOUT THE 1991/DRAFT BASIC LAW DIFFICULTIES.
2. WE DO INDEED ENVISAGE HANDING SOME FORM OF WRITTEN VIEW TO THE CHINESE. WE DO NOT, OF COURSE, SUGGEST THAT THIS SHOULD BE ANYTHING AS AMBITIOUS AS OUR EARLIER TRILOGIES. WE SEE THEM RATHER AS NOTES, WHICH WILL NONETHELESS NEED VERY CAREFUL DRAFTING. TO US AS REGARDS TIMING, IF WE DO NOT MAKE OUR INPUT BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE BLOC PLENARY, WE ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO BRING ANY INFLUENCE TO BEAR ON THE FORM OF THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW.
3.
WE BELIEVE THAT TURS CONTAIN MUCH OF THE NECESSARY MATERIAL. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD WORK IT INTO SUITABLE NOTES, TAKING ACCOUNT OF THE COMMENTS WHICH FOLLOW, AND TELEGRAPH TO US DESKBY 3109DOZ. WE SHOULD ALSO BE GRATEFUL IF PEKING AND UKREP JLG COULD FEED IN ANY COMMENTS THEY HAVE.
VOTING METHODS
4. WE AGREE WE SHOULD PRESS FOR REMOVAL OF DIFFERENTIAL VOTING, WITH THE FALL-BACK PROPOSED IN PARA 2 (A) AND (B) OF FOURTH TUR. WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE NEED A NOTE SETTING OUT THE DISADVANTAGES OF THE CHINESE PROPOSAL BOTH IN TERMS OF THE ADVERSE REACTION IN HONG KONG AND THE EFFECT THEY WILL HAVE ON THE SPEED OF THE LEGISLATURE'S PROCEDURES. YOU MIGHT THEN PUT INTO A SEPARATE NOTE THE FALL-BACK POSITION.
GEC/ELECTION COMMITTEE
Redacted under FOI exemption sections 27 (1)(a), (c), (d)
Redacted under FOI exemption Sections 40 and 41
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