TNAG-2733-FCO40-3939-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 31

CODE 18-77

Mr Ricketts, HKD

cc Mr Morris

Mr Bunten

Mr Whitney

Reference

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Constit byt

(Gen)

GOVERNORS ADDRESS TO LEGCO

1.

My suggestions are as follows :

I know the JLG is off my patch, but I agree that there need to be more specific examples in the JLG section to show just how important it is to Hong Kong to get legal and other arrangements in place by 1997.

eg airline agreements (for communications and economy generally); civil law contracts (marriage, divorce inheritance etc)

- The second half of para 170 should either be omitted or expanded to make its point more clearly (Omission might be better)

2. As far as the Conclusion is concerned, I realise we have to tread warily, but there are one or two words or sentences which would set Chinese nerves jangling more than necessary or else do less than justice to our own case eg

para 173 : 'an area where noone but a fool wants failure' could look tantamount to calling the Chinese fools, particularly if we are soon to be blaming eachother for failure. Or else could be used by hostile commentators to point the finger at Mr Patten himself.

A pity about the 'baleful' too.

para 176 : Replace 'sham' in some way eg 'should be real or too defective to be credible'.

para 177 : Omit last sentence.

able to point to some small moves.

People will easily be

para 178: The last sentence is a clear echo of the Martin Lee/Emily Lau line and could put backs up among the moderates on LegCo.

para 187 : The first sentence needs amending to something like 'We do not have a fully representative legislature here in Hong Kong'.

3. Finally, I realise we cannot very well tamper with the

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