TNAG-2221-FCO40-3189-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislat-1991 — Page 73

CONFIDENTIAL

175 9

MDLIAN

THE POLITICAL REALITIES AND TO RECOGNISE LEGCO. WE SHOULD ALSO WORK TOWARDS ENCOURAGING MORE INFORMAL CONTACT BETWEEN LEGCO AND CHINESE OFFICIALS. IN THIS REGARD, MR.GUO FENGMIN TOLD UKREP JLG RECENTLY THAT HE WAS WILLING TO TALK TO LEGCO MEMBERS. WE ARE CONSIDERING HOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO FACILITATE THIS DIALOGUE.

REPLY TO ALLEN LEE'S LETTER.

13.

WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL IN REPLYING TO ALLEN LEE IN CASE OUR LETTER SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. WE THEREFORE PROPOSE MAINTAINING THE FORMAL POSITION THAT WE MUST RESPECT JD 196 AND THAT THIS PRECLUDES ANY FORMAL BRIEFING BEING GIVEN TO LEGCO ON DISCUSSIONS IN THE JLG. WE WOULD, HOWEVER, INCLUDE A GENERAL REMARK TO THE EFFECT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS OF COURSE KEEN TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH LEGCO ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES. WE WOULD FOLLOW UP THIS REMARK BY TELLING ALLEN LEE (OR A NEW SENIOR MEMBER) INFORMALLY

THE APPROACH WE HAVE IN MIND.

14.

WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE ABOVE WITH UKREP JLG, WHO AGREES WITH

THE APPROACH PROPOSED.

FORD

YYYY

MAIN

60

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

PUSD

HD/FED

NEWS D

ADDITIONAL

MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS

MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS

ANAN

DISTRIBUTION

64

PLANNERS

RAD

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

SIR J COLES

MR BURNS

MISS NEVILLE-JONES CAB OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK NO.10

PAGE

4

CONFIDENTIAL