TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 235

CONFIDENTIAL

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77

FROM: P F Ricketts

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 29 July 1992

cc: Sir John Coles

Mr Hum

Miss Saunders

Mr Bunten

Mr Wye, RAD

Mr Davies, FED

Mr

Jox

Pa

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29/m

SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES: FOLLOW-UP

1.

I attach a summary note of the conclusions of the Governor's working supper with the Secretary of State on 26 July. The Governor had a meeting on 28 July, after the Secretary of State had left, to discuss follow-up with members of his HKG team, Mr Galsworthy, Mr Hum and me.

2. The Governor began by saying that he had agreed with the Secretary of State that there was no need for a meeting of OPD (K). If there was to be a meeting, the Governor would feel that he had to come back for it. That would cause speculation in Hong Kong, difficulties with ExCo, and anxieties in Peking. (We will need to pin this down with Private Office: I will follow-up on Mr Gozney's return.)

3. The Governor said that, as regards further work within HKG, the aim would be to have fleshed out ideas ready by the time of Mr Goodlad's visit in early September. There could then be further discussion between London and Hong Kong if necessary before the Secretary of State minuted to the Prime Minister.

4.

The Governor asked for further work to be done in Hong Kong on the following points of substance:

the names of potential non-politician appointees to ExCo; the design of a "hinge body";

the winding up of OMELCO;

preferences for an improvement in the LegCo Committee structure;

a more systematic use of the Governor's patronage over appointments to Advisory Bodies and consideration of opportunities for gestures in this area to politicians who would lose out from the reform of ExCo;

CONFIDENTIAL