SECRET
064612
MDHIAN 0966
SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997: AND
(C) THE WELL-ACCEPTED CASE FOR ADOPTING A STEADY AND GRADUAL APPROACH, PAYING DUE REGARD TO THE MAINTENANCE OF STABILITY WITHIN
THE COMMUNITY.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO CONSIDERED THE ISSUE IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE LIKELY TO PROVIDE IN RESPECT OF HOW THE LEGISLATURE OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL BE ELECTED. IT HAS NOTED THAT THE LATEST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE PROMULGATED IN 1990, ENVISAGES THE ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE BY A COMBINATION OF METHODS, INCLUDING AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTION.
8. ON THE QUESTION OF HOW A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS IN ADDITION TO INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS, BOTH REPRESENTING GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES. THERE WOULD BE AN OVERALL INCREASE IN THE
C
SIZE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNLESS THE NUMBER OF OTHER CATEGORIES OF MEMBERS ARE CORRESPONDINGLY REDUCED. THERE WOULD ALSO, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE IS A REDUCTION IN OTHER CATEGORIES, BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE OVERALL BALANCE OF THE COUNCIL. MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO INTRODUCE DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS IN ADDITION TO MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE WOULD MEAN HAVING TWO PARALLEL SYSTEMS OF GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION (DIRECTLY AND THROUGH DISTRICT BOARDS) WHICH COULD LEAD TO INVIDIOUS COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE REPRESENTATIVE STATUS OF DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS.
9. HAVING CAREFULLY CONSIDERED ALL THESE FACTORS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONCLUDED THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1991. IT HAD ALSO CONCLUDED THAT THE DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS TO BE INTRODUCED IN 1991 SHOULD BE ELECTED THROUGH GEOGRAPHICALLY-BASED, SING-SEAT CONSTITUENCIES AND SHOULD REPLACE THE INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS CURRENTLY ELECTED THROUGH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. ON THIS BASIS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT TEN DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1991.
10. DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONDUCT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, INCLUDING THE DRAWING UP OF GEOGRAPHICALLY BASED CONSTITUENCIES, WILL BE DEVISED WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS AND THE PUBLIC GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT UPON THEM.