CONFIDENTIAL
tuture
HAB
012
2/2 12
!
ا لم تروها
Ms &
155101 MDLIAN 5332
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 19
OF 07081OZ JANUARY 92
i.
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Q
TOP COPY QD
HONG KONG TELNO 32: DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY FROM EXCO
1.
WE AGREE THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD/SHOULD HAVE NO DIFFICULTY WITH THE PROPOSALS IN PARAS 2A AND 2B OF TUR. WE SHOULD NEVERTHELESS BRIEF THEM ON THESE PROPOSALS WITH CARE SINCE THE THIRD (PARA 2C OF TUR) COULD PROVOKE A SHARP REACTION. THE CHINESE ARE LIKELY TO ASK FOR A FULL LIST OF ''ROUTINE APPEALS WHICH WOULD BE WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE PROPOSED APPEALS BOARD.
1 I
2. THE CHINESE ARE PARANOID ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS, REAL OR IMAGINARY, IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO. EVEN APPARENTLY INNOCUOUS PROPOSALS WILL BE SCRUTINISED CLOSELY TO DETERMINE THE ''REAL'' BRITISH INTENTION IN PUTTING THEM FORWARD. ABSENCE OF CHINESE COMMENT ON THE GOVERNOR'S BRIEF REFERENCE TO STREAMLINING EXCO'S PROCEDURES IN HIS LEGCO ADDRESS SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS ACQUIESCENCE: NO PROPOSALS HAD BEEN PUT FORWARD AT THAT STAGE.
3
INVESTING THE GOVERNOR WITH THE POWER TO APPOINT ITS MEMBERS WOULD HELP TO ALLAY CHINESE SUSPICIONS ABOUT A CENTRALISED APPEALS BOARD. THE EXCLUSION OF LEGCO MEMBERS SHOULD BE EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE IN THAT REGARD.
4.
WE AGREE WITH YOUR PROPOSED WAY FORWARD. THE RISK WITH A PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THE DELEGATION OF EXCO'S POWERS IN GENERAL (RATHER THAN IN THE SPECIFIC CASE OF SAFETY OF AERIAL ROPEWAYS) IS THAT IT WILL DRAW ATTENTION TO SOMETHING WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE PASS UNNOTICED, AND PROVOKE A PUBLIC DEBATE. CARE WILL BE NEEDED IN DRAFTING.
MCLAREN
YYYY
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.