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142171
MDHIAN 3305
PAPER SHOULD
A
STATE THAT TEN DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS WILL BE INTROD-
UCED IN 1991 IN PLACE OF THE TEN SEATS CURRENTLY ELECTED BY THE
GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE. IN REACHING
THIS CONCLUSION, THEY HAVE PAID PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE
F IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING STABLE GOVERNMENT AND TO ENSURING THAT
FURTHER EVOLUTION OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS COMPATIBLE WITH SMOOTH TRANSITION, TAKING ACCOUNT BOTH OF RELEVANT STIPULATIONS
IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE BASIC LAW
DRAFTING COMMITTEE ON HOW THESE PROVISIONS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED
AFTER 1997. IN THIS CONNECTION, BRITISH SIDE HAVE TAKEN NOTE THAT, IN THE LATEST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW PUBLISHED RECENTLY IN HONG KONG PRESS, ALL THE OPTIONS CONCERNING ELECTIONS TO THE FUTURE SAR LEGISLATURE INCLUDE AN ELEMENT OF AT LEAST 25 PER CENT DIRECT ELECTIONS.
4.
WHEN SPEAKING TO VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ZHOU NAN. THE GOVERNOR
SAID WE WOULD BE IN TOUCH ON HOW WE PROPOSED TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE
OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER. THE BRITISH SIDE HAVE
NOW PREPARED A PAPER DEALING WITH THIS QUESTION AND HOW IT RELATES
TO LONGER TERM DEVELOPMENTS. HAPPY TO HAND OVER COPIES.
5. HKG INTENDS TO TABLE THE WHITE PAPER IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
ON 10 FEBRUARY 1988 AND TO PUBLISH IT THE SAME DAY. IN ACCORDANCE
WITH PAST PRACTICE A COPY OF THE WHITE PAPER WILL BE PASSED TO CHINESE SIDE BEFORE PUBLICATION.
DEFENSIVE
(A) (WHY NECESSARY TO SPECIFY THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS?)
AS EXPLAINED BY GOVERNOR IN DECEMBER IMPORTANT THAT WHITE PAPER
SHOULD CONTAIN CLEAR STATEMENT OF HOW DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL BE
INTRODUCED IN ORDER TO PUT AN END TO SPECULATION AND ARGUMENT IN HONG KONG.
(B) (WOULD PREFER FEWER DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1991.)
IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN PRESENT BALANCE OF MEMBERSHIP IN LEGCO. PAPER
EXPLAINS RATIONALE FOR NOT INTRODUCING DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS IN
ADDITION TO MEMBERS INDIRECTLY ELECTED FROM GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTIT-
UENCIES: BY SAME TOKEN ANY REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF MEMBERS ELECTED
FROM GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES WOULD UPSET PRESENT BALANCE AND ATTRACT PUBLIC CRITICISM. ALSO MEANS MUCH LARGER CONSTITUENCIES AND THEREFORE GREATER POLITICAL INFLUENCE.
(C) (HAVE DECISION BEEN TAKEN ON OTHER ASPECTS OF WHITE PAPER,
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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER FOI EXEMPTION NO....27(1)