TNAG-2991-FCO40-3566-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 50

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From:

John Morris

PS/Mr C Patten

Date:

29 June 1992

Miss Del 46417

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PS/Mr Goodlad

Sir J Coles

Mr Hum

Mr Davies, FED

Mr Dinham

Mr Llewellyn

Mr Ricketts, HKD

HONG KONG: CRITICAL PATH

1. At his meeting with Sir J Coles on 26 June, Mr Patten suggested that we would face a number of difficult questions on constitutional development which he set out (in no particular order) as follows:

1

Should we press for more LegCo seats in 1995 or avoid conflict with China and "move the furniture" instead

(attempt to bring more democracy in those areas not defined in the Basic Law district boards, functional constituencies, election committee, etc and look at ways of altering the composition/relation between ExCo and LegCo)?

If the latter, do we drop extra seats quickly or keep the idea in play to trade off with with China later?

Do we seek Hong Kong's approval to our policy?

If so, should we offer Hong Kong a series of options and then go to China with one, or go to China with a series of options in the hope of agreeing a lowest common denominator?

If we don't seriously want more elected members, how do we avoid others (eg in the International Community) using the matter as a litmus test of our success or failure?

Do we establish the democratic legitimacy of our chosen solution by bringing forward the 1995 elections?

Do we need the support of ExCo and LegCo for the hand we will play with China?

Do we assume that we shall have a bottom line in those negotiations from which we cannot resile?

CP1AKX

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