TNAG-2487-FCO40-3618-Future-relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1992 — Page 114

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CONFIDENTIAL

5 -

UK EYES ALPHA

Future of the Political Adviser's Office

3.

Mr Patten will no doubt form his own views on

the future of the Political Adviser's Office.

But he may

be interested in the tentative conclusions of a study of

1989. These were as follows:

before 1997 we should aim to merge the

China-related functions of the

Political Adviser's Office and of

Constitutional Affairs Branch to

prepare for a single unit which would

handle all Hong Kong's political

relations with Peking after 1997

(under the Chief Executive's

direction).

A tentative date of 1995

was foreseen in 1989 as the date for

this merger.

because there are likely to be some

very difficult discussions with China

in the final stages of British

CONFIDENTIAL