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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 13140OZ FCO
TELNO 171
OF 131130Z JANUARY 88
INFO
IMMEDIATE PEKING
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142171
MDHIAN 3305
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MIPT: REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT: WHITE PAPER
1. DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
DURING HIS VISIT TO PEKING LAST DECEMBER, GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG BRIEFED VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ZHOU NAN AND MR. LI HOU ON RESULTS OF SURVEY OF PUBLIC OPINION ON 1987 REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENTS IN REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. GOVERNOR CONFIRMED THAT AS ANTICIPATED, SURVEY OFFICE REPORT SHOWED SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY OF HONG KONG PEOPLE IN FAVOUR OF INTRODUCING AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE 1997, BUT VIEWS SHARPLY DIVIDED ON WHETHER THIS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN 1988 OR LATER. ALTHOUGH NO DECISIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN, OUTCOME SUGGESTED IT MIGHT BE SENSIBLE TO INTRODUCE DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT IN 1991 RATHER THAN 1988, ASSUMING THAT BASIC LAW WOULD PROVIDE FOR ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO POST-1997 SAR LEGISLATUR IN THIS REGARD GOVERNOR STRESSED IT WOULD GREATLY FACILITATE MATTERS IF WHITE PAPER COULD MAKE REFERENCE TO MAINSTREAM VIEW IN FAVOUR OF AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN FIRST DRAFT OF BASIC LAW.
2.
ALTHOUGH IT
WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO PUBLISH A FIRST DRAFT OF BASIC LAW BEFORE WHITE PAPER DUE TO BE PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY, ALL MAINSTREAM OPTIONS IN DRAFT TO BE DISCUSSED AT BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE PLENUM IN DECEMBER WOULD PROVIDE FOR AN ELEMENT OF DIRECT ELECTIONS TO LEGISLATURE. CHINESE SIDE WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO WHITE PAPER INCLUDING AN APPROPRIATE REFERENCE TO THESE MAINSTREAM VIEWS.
3. IN LIGHT OF PUBLIC OPINION WHICH HAS BEEN EXPRESSED AND OTHER RELEVANT CONSIDERATIONS, BRITISH SIDE HAVE NOW CONCLUDED THAT WHITE
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