GR 2000
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 07084OZ JAN 85
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONTIDENTIAL HKCK 2011),
TOP COPY
TELEGRAM NUMBER 44 OF 7 JANUARY
Ло
R
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
(5)
MIPT: WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT: REDRAFT OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S SPEECH.
BEGINS.
INTRODUCTION
I RISE TO MOVE THE MOTION STANDING IN MY NAME ON THE ORDER PAPER: **THAT THIS COUNCIL WELCOMES THE PLANS AND INTENTIONS DESCRIBED
IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE
GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.''
2. WHEN THE WHITE PAPER WAS LAID IN THIS COUNCIL ON 21 NOVEMBER
LAST YEAR, YOU YOURSELF, SIR, OUTLINED THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG
KONG. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO REMIND MEMBERS, AT THE
OUTSET OF THIS DEBATE, OF OUR OBJECTIVES AND THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THE PLANS IN THE GREEN PAPER WERE WORKED UP AND THEN AMENDED
WHEN FINALISING OUR THOUGHTS FOR THE WHITE PAPER.
OBJECTIVES
3. OUR OBJECTIVES CAN BE STATED QUITE SIMPLY. THEY ARE, (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) FIRST, THAT THE FUTURE SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG SHOULD BE ROOTED FIRMLY IN THE COMMUNITY
AND THEREBY BE MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE FOR CHANGES IN THE COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT IT IS BROADLY BASED, AND AVOIDS, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, ANY TENDENCY TO FACTIONAL POLITICS AND DIVISIVENESS. THIS IS BEST ACHIEVED BY ENSURING THAT THE
MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE MAJOR SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY. THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED)
THIRD OBJECTIVE IS TO ACHIEVE A REASONABLE BALANCE IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BETWEEN ELECTED, APPOINTED AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS: AND THE (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE A FOUNDATION ON WHICH FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CAN BE BASED, IN
THE LIGHT OF EXPERIENCE GAINED.
PRINCIPLES
CONFIDENTIAL
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