GRS 1500
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 13120OZ FCO
TELNO 2730
OF 13095OZ JULY 87
INFO HIMMED RATE PEKING
SECRET
His culi
35
TOP COPY
DIST ?
PART ONE OF TWO
MY 2ND MPT : STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT : LONGER TERM ISSUES
THE REVISED TEXT OF NOTE 1 : THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
NOTE 1
METHOD OF SELECT MON
THE CHIEF EXECUTANE
SECTION # OF ANNEX # TO THE JOINT DECLARATION STATES: ''THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
SHALL BE SELECTED BY ELECTION OR THROUGH CONSULTATIONS HELD LOCALLY
AND BE APPOINTED BY THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT''.
2+
PAPER # OF MAY 1986 REFERRED TO THREE POSSIBLE METHOD OF
SELECTION THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WHICH HAD BEEN PUBLICLY DISCUSSED AN HONG KONG
THESE WERE
(A) BY CONTESTED DIRECT ELECTION AMONG ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES
ON THE BASIS OF UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE I
(B) BY ELECTION AMONG MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE, IF NECESSARY AFTER CONSULTATION AMONG THEM, ON A SHORT LIST OF ELINGIBLE
CANDIDATES FROM WHITHIN OR OUTSIDE THE LEGISLATURE:
(C) BY CONSULTATION, FOLLOWED IF NECESSARY BY ELECTION, IN SOME WIDER ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO PROVIDE A BROADER BASHS FOR
THE ELECTRON.
3. HIT CONCLUDED THAT OPTION (A) WOULD BE UNLIKELY TO FAND FAVOUR
IN HONG KONG, AT ITS PRESENT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, AS IT WOULD BE REGARDED AS A MAJOR AND FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE TOO LIKELY TO LEAD TO
HIGHLY CHARGED ADVERSARIAL POLITICS AND THUS STABILITY. A FURTHER
POINT S THAT SELECTION BY A PROCESS OF CONTESTED DIRECT ELECTION
WOULD TEND TO FAVOUR THE HIGH-PROFILE POLIITIACHAN RATHER THAN, FOR EXAMPLE, A LESS WELL-KNOWN BUT NEVERTHELESS ABLE ADMINISTRATOR.
SECRET