CONFIDENTIAL
157546
MDHOAN 6846
19.
THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS ARE COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG. BUT WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS SHOULD FOLLOW A COURSE, AND PROCEED AT A PACE, WHICH REFLECTS HONG KONG'S SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRADITIONS, AS WELL AS THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO ONE PARTICULAR MODEL OR FORM. HONG KONG SHOULD BE ENABLED TO DEVELOP ITS OWN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH IS SUITED TO ITS REQUIREMENTS.
20. WE MUST TAKE PROPERLY INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE FACTORS WHICH ARE
RELEVANT THE RANGE OF VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY: THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION: AND THE WORK NOW IN HAND TO DRAFT THE BASIC LAW FOR POST-1997 HONG KONG. WE MUST BE
PRUDENT: WE MUST ENSURE THAT ANY MEASURES TAKEN ARE ACCEPTED BY THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF
STABILITY.
21. AND WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY OF HONG KONG'S
HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY. THIS HAS HAD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THROUGHOUT HONG KONG'S EXISTENCE, IN PARTICULAR IN THE NEGOTIATION WITH CHINA OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR ITS FUTURE. IT IS WITHIN THAT REALITY THAT HONG KONG'S UNIQUE IDENTITY HAS BEEN FORGED AND MUST BE PRESERVED.
22. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S GREEN PAPER COVERED A WIDE RANGE
OF ISSUES. BUT AS MEMBERS WILL BE AWARE, THE MAIN FOCUS OF PUBLIC DEBATE HAS BEEN THE QUESTION WHETHER A DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: AND IF SO, WHEN. THIS ISSUE WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE GREAT MAJORITY OF SUBMISSIONS TO THE SURVEY OFFICE. IT ALSO DOMINATED DEBATE IN
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND OTHER FORA.
23.
THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT SHOWS THAT THE BULK OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED HAVE BEEN IN FAVOUR OF THE PRINCIPLE OF INTRODUCING DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. OF COURSE MANY PEOPLE DID NOT EXPRESS ANY VIEW. NONETHELESS I THINK IT WOULD BE ACCURATE TO SPEAK OF A STRONG TREND IN PUBLIC OPINION WHICH WOULD SUPPORT TAKING THAT STEP, AND DOING SO WELL BEFORE 1997.
24. ON THE QUESTION OF TIMING, HOWEVER, THE REPORT DEMONSTRATES THAT OPINION IS SHARPLY DIVIDED. SOME BELIEVE THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988, WHEN ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL NEXT FALL DUE. OTHERS HAVE RESERVATIONS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD SO QUICKLY: THEY ARGUE INSTEAD FOR THEIR INTRODUCTION AT A LATER DATE, SUCH AS THE SUBSEQUENT ROUND OF ELECTIONS IN 1991. THIS DIVISION HAS BEEN REFLECTED IN DEBATE
2
PAGE
CONFIDENTIAL