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133501 MDHIAN 3004
THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED
IN NOVEMBER. AS A FINAL STAGE IN THE REVIEW PROCESS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PUBLISH A WHITE PAPER IN EARLY FEBRUARY SETTING OUT ITS PLANS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS UP TO 1991
2. THE WHITE PAPER WILL COVER ALL THE ISSUES ADDRESSED IN THE
GREEN PAPER. THE CHINESE SIDE MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT IT
WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS AND DECISIONS.
(A) DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
(B)
(I)
RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER SHOWS THAT THERE IS WIDE SUPPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR THE PRINCIPLE OF INTRODUCING AN ELEMENT OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS INTO THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: BUT THE COMMUNITY IS DIVIDED OVER THE
APPROPRIATE TIMING FOR THIS MOVE.
(II) THE BRITISH SIDE BELIEVES THAT, IN CONSIDERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT BEFORE 1997, ACCOUNT MUST BE TAKEN BOTH OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY
(AS IN (I) ABOVE) AND OF THE RELEVANT STIPULATIONS OF THE JOINT
DECLARATION AND THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE.
(III) DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE INTRODUCED IN 1988. HOWEVER, TEN SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL BE FILLED BY DIRECT
ELECTIONS IN 1991, WITH ONE MEMBER ELECTED FROM EACH OF TEN DISTRICT-BASED CONSTITUENCIES. THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL TAKE THE
PLACE OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM BY WHICH TEN SEATS ARE FILLED
INDIRECT ELECTIONS FROM THE DISTRICT BOARDS.
COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
BY
THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES IN THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE COUNCIL IN
1988. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE TEN OFFICIAL MEMBERS. THE NUMBER
OF APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL BE REDUCED BY TWO. TWO ADDITIONAL ELECTED
MEMBERS WILL BE ELECTED FROM EXPANDED FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.
(C) THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS
(I)
THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE ROLE AND COMPOSITION OF
THE DISTRICT BOARDS. HOWEVER, THEIR ADVISORY ROLE WILL BE DEVELOPED BY REQUIRING GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO CONSULT THE
BOARDS ON ALL DISTRICT MATTERS. THE BOARDS WILL ALSO BE
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