(c)

BLDC

will

then

CONFIDENTIAL

produce

draft revised

for

We have

submission to the NPC Standing Committee in

1990, which will then be promulgated.

the Basic Law and

the

standing in the drafting of no

Chinese are very

very sensitive to any suggestion that we can dictate policies for the Special Administrative Region, which will be We hope however to be able to part of China after 1 July 1997.

The informal contacts.

influence

drafting

process through crucial aspect for Us i s that the Basic Law should accurately

reflect the Agreement.

Constitutional Development

indi rect first

elections

to the LEGOO

24 members

out of

new Council a

took place

of 56 were

on

(i.e.

local

5. The

26 September 1985. chosen, 12 of them by an electoral college of District Board, Urban Council and Regional Council

government

level) members and 12 by functional constituencies representing main professional, commercial and other groups. The remaining

32

A review continue to

the appointed by progress towards representative Government is to be carried out

in 1987.

be

Governor.

of

6. In April of last year Sir Y K Pao expressed the view to Sir Percy Cradock that movement towards representative government in this was the Chinese indicated that

raised this same concern with

Chinese concerns have focussed

Hong Kong was

too fast:

fast: he

the

view. Premier Zhao Ziyang

Prime Minister

particularly

question

of

in October.

the 1987 review, which

elections

should

be

will include the

introduced in

The

upon

whether direct 1988 to choose some of the legislative Council's members.

Chinese

concerned that this review i s an introduce far-reaching "democratic reforms" and thus preempt the constitutional arrangements which

are

territory,

attempt by HMG to

Law")

Chinese that

we

a re

to they are

not and which will

(as be published

We have been

to at

pains

explain

the 1987 review; but to committed

draft for the

a draft "Basic

the to

that we

1988. until

CONFIDENTIAL

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