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MDHIAN 3305
E.G. ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARDS,
PRESIDENCE OF LEGCO, VOTING AGE ETC. ?) FINAL DECISIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN TAKEN ON ALL ASPECTS OF WHITE
PAPER. HOWEVER, NO MAJOR CHANGES TO EXISTING SYSTEM ARE ANTICIPATED. LIKELY CONCLUSIONS ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ROLE OF DISTRICT BOARDS WILL REMAIN BASICALLY UNCHANGED THAT GOVERNOR WILL REMAIN PRESIDENT
OF LEGCO: AND THAT VOTING AGE WILL REMAIN AT 21. ONE DECISION
WHICH HAS BEEN TAKEN, AND ABOUT WHICH CHINESE SIDE WERE INFORMED EARLIER, IS THAT URBAN COUNCILLORS WILL CEASE TO BE EX-OFFICIO DISTRICT BOARD MEBERS AS FROM 1989.
(D) (ANY CHANGE TO COMPOSITION OF LEGCO IN 1988?)
NO MAJOR CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO COMPOSITION OF LEGCO IN 1988.
LIKELY TO BE INCREASE OF TWO MEMBERS TO BE ELECTED FROM FUNCTIONAL
CONSTITUENCIES, OFFSET BY A SIMILAR REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF
APPOINTED MEMBERS.
(E)
LAW.)
(DECISION ON DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD BE CONDITIONAL ON BASIC
CLEAR IN CONTEXT OF PAPER THAT BASIC LAW A MAJOR CONSIDERATION. BUT. AS GOVERNOR EXPLAINED IN DECEMBER, IMPORTANT THAT QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS NOT DEALT WITH IN ANY WAY WHICH MIGHT UNDERMINE PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE IN HKG. IF DIRECT ELECTIONS NOT TO BE INTRODUCED IN 1988, WHITE PAPER SHOULD MAKE CLEAR EXACTLY WHEN WE PROPOSE TAKING
THIS STEP.
ENDS
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
25
DISTRIBUTION
26
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH
(FE)
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR
PS/MR EGGAR
MR MCLAREN
MR GILLMORE
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