A
..
GR 7200
SECRET
FUTURE EGRET
DESKBY 06120OZ
SECRET
FM HONG KONG 060718Z JUN 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1508 OF 6 JUNE
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
HKK
01113
RECEIVED IN REGISTR /
- 7 JUN 1984
DESK OFFICER
FUTURE EGRET: MIPT. 143
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DRAFT GREEN PAPER.
INDEX
BEGINS.
PA
REGISTRY
or.
JANY
THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1. IN THE INTRODUCTION TO THE GREEN PAPER ENTITLED A PATTERN OF
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG'' WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN
JUNE 1980, IT WAS STATED THAT THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, THE CENTRAL ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT, HAVE EVOLVED, AND WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AS CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE, WITHIN THE
IMPERATIVES OF STABILITY AND DEPENDABILITY WHICH THE SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG DICTATE.' THIS GREEN PAPER FOLLOWS
FROM AND DEVELOPS ON THAT STATEMENT.
2. DURING THE PAST FEW YEARS, SEVERAL STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG AT
THE REGIONAL AND DISTRICT LEVELS. IN 1973, THE URBAN COUNCIL WAS
RECONSTITUTED AS A FINANCIALLY AUTONOMOUS BODY: THE OFFICIAL
MEMBERS WITHDREW FROM THE COUNCIL AND ITS UNOFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP
WAS INCREASED TO 24, HALF OF THEM DIRECTLY ELECTED ON A LIMITED
FRANCHISE. 1982 SAW THE FIRST DIRECT ELECTIONS TO DISTRICT BOARDS
BASED ON A VERY BROAD FRANCHISE. IN 1983, THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE
URBAN COUNCIL WAS FURTHER INCREASED TO 30, HALF OF WHOM ARE NOW
ELECTED FROM DISTRICT CONSTITUENCIES ON THE SAME BROAD FRANCHISE
AS FOR DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.
3. FOR MANY YEARS MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO SIT ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND
RECENTLY SEVERAL ELECTED DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN APPOINTED
TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THIS PROCESS WILL CONTINUE.
4. IN MAY THIS YEAR PLANS WERE ANNOUNCED TO DEVELOP FURTHER
THE REPRESENTATIVE STATUS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS BY DOUBLING THE
NUMBER OF ELECTED MEMBERS IN 1985, AND TO ESTABLISH IN 1986 A NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, WITH A SUBSTANTIAL ELECTED ELEMENT IN ITS MEMBERSHIP, TO COVER THOSE AREAS OF THE TERRITORY NOT ALREADY
COVERED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL.
SECRET
и
144
Sex 143