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Council will be introduced in 1991, in the form of 10 directly elected seats in geographically based single seat constituencies. These would replace the seats currently elected indirectly by the District Boards. ExCo are content with the general thrust of the drafts,
but have asked for some further work to be done on the
wording and presentation.
5.
on
In view of the part they have to play in this, the wording of the Basic Law should be shown to the Chinese in good time. I therefore propose to ask our Ambassador in Peking to pass the Chinese a paper on the pattern previously established illustrating how we intend to deal with direct elections in the White Paper, including the
references to the Basic Law. Because of the tight timetable
before publication, he will need to do this as soon as
possible.
6.
The outcome which is now emerging is a very satisfactory
one, both from our point of view and for Hong Kong. We have overcome Chinese resistance to the principle of direct elections; we are on course to achieve an element of direct elections in the Hong Kong Legislative Council well before
1997; and we are set to secure a commitment to direct
elections in the Basic Law for post-1997 Hong Kong. I
believe that the course proposed is a fair reflection of public opinion and is in the best interests of the territory's future stability and prosperity. I therefore hope that you
and OD(K) colleagues will endorse the decisions regarding direct elections set out in the drafts White Paper. L
7. I am copying this minute to members of OD (K) and to
Sir Robin Butler.
بیهو
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
4 January 1988
(GEOFFREY HOWE)
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