CONFIDENTIAL
members SO as to provide a better balance and to form the
nucleus of a "pro-government" element within the
legislature. We envisage that this might be done by
providing for a third element in the legislature, alongside
directly elected members and members elected by functional
constitutencies. Nominations would be put forward by the
Chief Executive to an electoral college. This would
confirm his nominations, or select from his list, by a
We think the Chinese would probably welcome a
provision on these lines as introducing an element of
stability and counterbalancing the influence
"political" members of the legislature.
vote.
4.
of more
Third, Mr Renton questioned our doubts about the
separation of powers between the Executive and the
legislature. The Governor feels strongly that a total
separation of powers would be alien to Hong Kong's
political tradition and could lead to stalemate or
confrontation in the conduct of Government business.
of
He
would like to see the Basic Law retain the possibility (no
more) that members of the executive could sit on the
legislature. This could be done through the device which
we have described above: the Chief Executive could nominate
them to the electoral college. The Governor's reasoning
will be spelt out more fully in the draft of
the draft of a paper for
transmission to the Chinese which is at present being
prepared in Hong Kong.
We shall consult Ministers
further, on the basis of that paper.
wan
Say to route
Į
Not possible
the
Normally
as we
try to
world try
do, through the Tentow
18 September 1986/
Crtun
AKC thanks
CO Hum
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Hong Kong Department
CONFIDENTIAL