TNAG-2459-FCO40-3580-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-administrati-1992 — Page 146

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MDHOAN 148

AT THE SAME TIME AS GIVING UP YOUR ROLE IN LEGCO. SECOND THERE WILL

THEN BE ONLY 60 MEMBERS OF LEGCO (CURRENTLY THERE ARE 60 PLUS THE GOVERNOR). THIRD THE ELECTION OF ANY MEMBER OF LEGCO AS PRESIDENT COULD ONLY TAKE EFFECT AFTER THE LPS HAVE BEEN AMENDED. AGAIN WE SEE NO PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT

WOULD SIMPLY CONTINUE TO PRESIDE IN THE ABSENCE OF THE GOVERNOR

UNTIL THE LP AND RI ARE AMENDED. IF THERE WAS AN ELECTION FOR PRESIDENT OF LEGCO BEFORE THAT, THE RESULT COULD NOT ACTUALLY BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL AFTER THE AMENDMENTS HAD TAKEN EFFECT. WE ASSUME YOU WOULD ALSO WANT TO GIVE UP YOUR POWER TO APPOINT A DEPUTY PRESIDENT UNDER RI XXI (3).

4.

WE HAVE CHECKED YOUR SPEECH TO SEE IF THESE CONSTITUTIONAL WRINKLES CAUSE ANY DIFFICULTIES. THEY DO NOT. HOWEVER, AS THE CHANGES INVOLVE THE ROYAL PREROGATIVE, YOU MAY WISH TO CONSIDER CONSIDER WHETHER PARA 129 OF YOUR SPEECH SHOULD MAKE THE POINT THAT THE CHANGES INDICATED THERE WILL REQUIRE AMENDMEMTS TO THE LP AND RI. WE HAVE ALSO RE-CHECKED THE MESSAGE TO LU PING AND THE QIAN SPEAKING NOTES. THE REASSURANCES GIVEN THERE ABOUT NO CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE DO NOT RELATE TO ANY OF THE CHANGES DISCUSSED IN THIS TELEGRAM

5. WE SHALL CONSULT YOU FURTHER ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT CHANGES TO THE LPS AND RIS SHOULD BE PUT TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL. THE NEXT MEETING IS ON 28 OCTOBER. IT WILL THEN TAKE A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE AMENDMENTS CAN COME INTO EFFECT.

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