TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 245

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034423 MDHI 2495

5. I SEE NO LIKELIHOOD WHATSOEVER OF THE CRC AND UDHK CO- OPERATING, IN TERMS OF THE 1995 ELECTIONS, LET ALONE THEIR TEMPERAMENTS. IF THERE WERE AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE A COALITION TO EXCO, IT WOULD SIMPLY BECOME A FORUM FOR IN-FIGHTING. ANY HOPE OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY WOULD BE ILLUSIONARY. THERE IS, OF COURSE, ALSO THE CHINA DIMENSION. THE CHINESE HAVE MADE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD CEASE CO- OPERATION WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IF KEY UDHK MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED TO EXCO. EVEN IF I WERE TO IGNORE THIS DIMENSION, WHICH WOULD BE FRAUGHT WITH RISKS, AND TO TRY TO RELY ON THE UDHK ALONG COMITTING CRC MEMBERS FROM EXCO) THEIR MANIFESTO WOULD PRECLUDE THEM FROM BECOMING A GOVERNMENT PARTY. IN SHORT, I CANNOT WITH ANY CONFIDENCE LOOK FRO SUPPORT TO EITHER OF THE MAIN GROUPS IN LEGCO, AND TO TRY TO GRAFT THEM NOT A COALITION IS NOT REALISTIC.

6. AN ALTERNATIVE, MORE ATTRACTIVE TO MY MIND, WHICH FINESSES THE DIFFICULTY OF APPOINTING OR NOT APPOINTING THE UDHK TO EXCO, IS TO DELINK EXCO AND LEGCO MEMBERSHIP, AT ANY RATE IN THE CASE OF ALL LEGCO MEMBERS WHO WOULD NOT ACCEPT THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME. UNDER SUCH AN OPTION, I WOULD APPOINT TO EXCO KEY OFFICIALS, WHO ARE MY EXECUTIVES, AND NON-OFFICIALS WITH STANDING AND CREDIBILITY IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE NON-PARTISAN, ABLE TO GIVE SOUND ADVICE, AND PREPARED TO SPEAK OUT IN PUBLIC IN SUPPORT OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES. I HAVE CONSIDERED THE OPTION OF APPOINTING OFFICIALS ONLY TO EXCO, BUT HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THIS WOULD REPRESENT SUCH A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE THAT ITS ACCEPTABILITY IN HONG KONG IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY, AND THAT THE LACK OF POLITICAL COVER IN THAT SITUATION WOULD BE TOO GREAT. I DO NOT RULE OUT CO- OPTING SOME LEGCO MEMBERS UNDER THIS MODEL IF THEY ACCEPT THE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMME I WILL SET OUT IN OCTOBER, AND IF THEY HAVE THE NECESSARY INDIVIDUAL QUALITIES (E.G. A VINCENT CHENG OR AN EDWARD CHENG).

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THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS ALTERNATIVE IS THAT SUCH AN EXCO WOULD AT LEAST SERVE ON OF ITS TRADITIONAL PURPOSES (SEE PARA. 2(A) ABOVE). IT WILL CERTAINLY BE MORE CREDIBLE THAN THE CURRENT EXCO, AND SHOULD WORK BETTER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. THE MAIN DISADVANTAGE IS THAT IT IS UNLIKELY TO ENSURE, WITHOUT SOME ADDITIONAL MECHANISM, THAT POLICIES AND DECISIONS MADE IN EXCO WOULD COMMAND MAJORITY SUPPORT IN LEGCO. I THINK WE WOULD NEED IN PARALLEL A HINGE BODY' WHICH WOULD ENABLE THE ADMINISTRATION TO TEST THE ACCEPTABILITY OF ITS POLICIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE REQUIRING LEGISLATION AND FUNDS, AND TO NEGOTIATE SUFFICIENT

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