From The Minister of State
Richard Luce MP
ра
JAK
413
30/41 R2
Foreign and Commonwealth Office PSC
London SW1A 2AH
you keep the drak
a wrel
KKK 01113
27 November 1984
AROLIVED
STALY
JAX 30/11
5 DEC1984
ITERETU
(412)
দি
Dear in Szeto w
Dr Ding
I have been asked to reply to the letters which you sent on 9 November to the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and a number of other Ministers.
On 21 November, as you know, the Hong Kong Government published a White Paper on the further development of representative government. The White Paper takes full account of public comment in Hong Kong on the proposals contained in the earlier Green Paper. During the two months allowed for discussion of these proposals, the Hong Kong Government received comments from a wide range of sources. These comments were generally in favour of the aims of the Green Paper and the gradual and progressive nature of the proposals made in it.
On the question of indirect and direct elections, the Hong Kong Government noted the substantial support for direct elections from some sections of the community who made their views public, including the organisations that you represent. However there was little evidence of general support for any move towards direct elections as early as 1985. Consequently the White Paper, which outlines the Government's intentions for the 1985 elections to the Legislative Council only, retains the Green Paper proposals for indirect elections through an electoral college and functional constituencies. In response to the views expressed by the public, however, the White paper doubles the number of members to be elected on this basis in 1985.
Mr Szeto Wah and Dr Ding Lik Kiu
c/o Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union 44 Man King Building, 2/F
Ferry Point
Kowloon
HONG KONG