HKB 011/2
15 DEC 1937
SECRET
SECRET
FM FCO
10 IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 3225
OF 10150OZ DECEMBER 87
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
082
011/268
042624
MDHOAN 4723
MIPT AND YOUR TELNOS 4648 AND 4679 AND
OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: DISTRICT
COUNCILS
1.
PEKING TELNO 2138: REVIEW
BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL
WE THINK IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO GIVE THE CHINESE A
FULL PICTURE COVERING THE FOUR ELEMENTS (IE PARA 5(A)-(E) OF YOUR TELNO 4678) OF YOUR PROPOSED ANNOUNCEMENT, OTHERWISE THEY MAY NOT IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTAND THE POSITION OR MAY RAISE QUERIES AFTER
THE ANNOUNCEMENT. WE SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENTS TO THE
DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
AFTER PARA 2 ADD A NEW PARA 3 AS FOLLOWS: QUOTE TO GIVE
EFFECT TO THIS DECISION HKG WILL ALSO ANNOUNCE NEW
ARRANGEMENTS TO REMOVE THE PRESENT LEGAL REQUIREMENT FOR
A DB MEMBER TO GIVE UP HIS DB SEAT UPON ELECTION TO THE UC.
THESE ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE IN PLACE BEFORE THE 1988
DB ELECTIONS UNQUOTE:
AFTER EXISTING PARA 3 (IE QUOTE HKG WILL IN ANY CASE
1988 UNQUOTE) ADD AT THAT TIME IT WILL ALSO BE NECESSARY
TO STATE THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS ON THE ISSUE OF THE
RATIO OF ELECTED MEMBERS TO APPOINTED MEMBERS ON DISTRICT
BOARDS. THIS ISSUE WAS COVERED IN THE GREEN PAPER, AND
THE HKG HAS NOW DECIDED TO MAINTAIN THE PRESENT RATIO OF
APPROXIMATELY 2:1 UNQUOTE:
IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, WE SUGGEST THAT THE FIRST SENTENCE OF EXISTING PARA 4 SHOULD NOW READ QUOTE HKG THEREFORE INTEND TO ANNOUNCE NUMBERS OF DB SEATS, AND THE RATIO OF ELECTED TO APPOINTED MEMBERS, ON 17 DECEMBER. THEY ALSO INTEND TO ANNOUNCE AT THE SAME TIME THAT UC MEMBERS WILL
CEASE TO BE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OF DB'S AS FROM 1989, AND
THE CONSEQUENT AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS
REQUIRING THAT A DB MEMBER GIVE UP HIS DB SEAT UPON
ELECTION TO THE UC UNQUOTE. WE SUGGEST QUOTE INTEND
UNQUOTE RATHER THAN QUOTE PROPOSE UNQUOTE.
ADD A NEW FINAL PARAGRAPH QUOTE ON THE QUESTION OF A
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