TNAG-2209-FCO40-3169-Future-of-Hong-Kong-principal-officials-1991 — Page 29

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and put into force the Basic Law's legislative provisions by

1995. (From 1991, however, there will be an unofficial and

elected majority in Legco and that has consequences for the

administration of Hong Kong see paragraph

below.)

The only organ which falls for new consideration is,

therefore, the Executive.

9. it would not be possible wholly to assimilate the

pre-1997 Executive to the post-1997 Executive.

Defence and

(in part at least) foreign affairs would, as in the

post-1997 period, be retained by the metropolitan government

and the functions would be exercised on HMG's behalf by the

Governor. It would also be for consideration how much of

the function of internal security and the police must be

retained by the Government (see paragraph 6 above) and how

much could be devolved. Are there any other functions that

a Governor would have to retain?

10. Nevertheless it would be possible to devolve a

considerable portion of the Governor's (government's)

executive responsibilities to a functionary (and assistants)

similar to the Chief Executive (and principal officials).

11.

?If such a 'proto chief-executive' (PCE) were

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