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INFO ROUTINE FCO, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG
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172335 MDLIAN 6524
HONG KONG FOR SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
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YOUR TELNO 3848 OF 1991: ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG 1991
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON YOUR DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON SUBSTANCE.
1.
(PARA 4, JLG): WE SUGGEST THE ADDITION AT THE END OF THE FINAL SENTENCE OF
ALTHOUGH SUBSTANTIVE PROGRESS HAS YET TO BE MADE''.
2.
3.
(PARAS 10 AND 11: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT) 2ND SENTENCE OF PARA 10: THE IMPLICATION OF THIS SENTENCE IS THAT THE TURNOUT FOR THESE ELECTIONS WAS GOOD. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ELECTION THE GOVERNOR WAS OBLIGED TO COMMENT THAT THE TURNOUT HAD BEEN ''DISAPPOINTING''. WE SUGGEST THE INSERTION AFTER ... 750,000 VOTERS' OF THE FOLLOWING SOME 20% OF THOSE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE.''
4. THESE TWO PARAS GLOSS OVER THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES OVER THE WAY THE SITUATION HAS DEVELOPED SINCE THE LEGCO ELECTIONS. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS IN LEGCO HAS SLOWED DOWN AND ALTHOUGH WE HOPE THE SITUATION WILL STABILISE ONCE THE NOVELTY-VALUE OF BEING A NEWLY-ELECTED LEGCO MEMBER WEARS OFF THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL DO SO. IT IS SURELY NOT HELPFUL TO OMIT CHINESE PROTESTS AND WORRIES ABOUT THIS IN A REPORT OF THIS KIND. THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANCE NOT ONLY FOR FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO FOR PROGRESS IN THE JLG, AS THE STILL UNRESOLVED CFA PROBLEM SHOWS. WE SUGGEST REDRAFTING THE FINAL SENTENCE OF PARA 11 AS FOLLOWS: ''DESPITE THE CONCERN EXPRESSED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE CONFIDENT THAT
(PARA 34: 4TH SENTENCE): IS THERE NOT A MORE UP-TO-DATE REFERENCE THAN 1989? A SURVEY CONDUCTED IN 1989 COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN FULL ACCOUNT OF ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES POST-TIANANMEN.
5.
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