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MDM N 2097
IT
5. WE ENTIRELY TAKE YOUR POINT THAT, IN THE TIME AVAILABLE, WOULD BE BETTER NOT TO ATTEMPT TO WORK OUT ALL THE DETAILS OF A GEC. WE HAVE TWO MAJOR CONCERNS:
A >
IF CONVERGENCE ON THE BASIS OF A GEC IS PART OF A PACKAGE WITH THE CHINESE, WE MUST BE SURE WE ARE NOT BEING SOLD A PIG IN A POKE.
B)
IF PROVISIONS CONCERNING A GEC APPEAR IN THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW, HONG KONG OPINION WILL WANT TO BE REASSURED TO SOME EXTENT ABOUT WHAT THIS WILL MEAN FOR THE POLITICAL SYSTEM.
WE AGREE WITH ALL THE POINTS IN PARA 3 (A) TO (E) OF FOURTH TUR. THE PROBLEM WILL BE ENSURING THAT THE CHINESE HAVE AGREED TO THESE PRINCIPLES AND FINDING A WAY TO MAKE THE PRINCIPLES PUBLIC. WE MIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CHINESE DRAFTERS TO MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS AT THE TIME OF THE BLDC PLENARY COR BETWEEN THEN AND PROMULGATION) WHICH WILL REASSURE HONG KONG PEOPLE AND COMMIT THE CHINESE.
6. WE AGREE THAT PARAGRAPH 4 OF FOURTH TUR PROVIDES A GOOD FRAMEWORK FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE. THERE IS STILL SOME DUPLICATION OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, BUT BY GROUPING INDUSTRIAL ETC TOGETHER YOU HAVE MINIMISED THIS.
NATIONALITY/RIGHT OF ABODE RESTRICTIONS
7. WE AGREE ON THE NEED FOR A FALL-BACK AND ARE CONTENT WITH
WHAT YOU PROPOSE. WE SUGGEST THAT A NOTE ON THIS SUBJECT MIGHT DRAW ON, AND EXPAND, THE MATERIAL IN YOUR MEMORANDUM FOR EXCO (YOUR TELNO 347 REFERS).
HURD
YYYY
MAIN
19
LIMITED HKD
HD/FED
PS/MR MAUDE
NNNN
DISTRIBUTION
19
PS/PUS
MR GILLMORE MR MCLAREN
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