CONFIDENTIAL
(H) MR. ANDREW WONG : SUPPORTS FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF HK'S POLITICAL SYSTEM TO ENSURE SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997, BUT PREFERS STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH RATHER THAN PRECONCEIVED BLUEPRINT. WHILE PERSONALLY PREFERRING DIRECT ELECTION ON A GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCY, DOES NOT CONSIDER THAT DECISION ON FUTURE ELECTORAL METHODS IS IMMEDIATELY REQUIRED. PROPOSES TWO DEVELOPMENTS OF MORE IMMEDIATE CONCERN: FIRST, AT CENTRAL LEVEL, TOP EXECUTIVE POSITIONS SHOULD GRADUALLY BE FILLED BY POLITICAL APPOINTEES ACCOUNTABLE TO PUBLIC: AND SECONDLY, AT DISTRICT LEVEL, MORE DECISION-MAKING POWERS SHOULD BE DEVOLVED TO DISTRICT BOARDS. BELIEVES THAT DEMOCRATIC TRADITION NECESSARY FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS AT CENTRE CAN ONLY EMERGE FROM
PRACTISING IT IN DISTRICTS.
2. EXTRACTS OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF SOME OF THE UNOFFICIALS' SPEECHES ARE IN MIFT.
3. IT IS INTERESTING, AND SIGNIFICANT, THAT THE MOST HARD-HITTING SPEECH CAME FROM MR. MARTIN LEE, A MEMBER OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING
COMMITTEE.
YOUDE
'HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED HD/HKD HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RES (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUB
BIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
MR J CROWLEY PUSD
COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)
MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ASST STAFF
CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE MR DRC CHRISTOPHER
CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL