UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 1909OOZ FCO
TELNO 0255
OF 19050OZ JANUARY 88
UNTUR BIF40/2.
19 JAN 1988
160345
MDHIAN 4058
TOP COPY Q DIST.?
MIPT : HONG KONG STANDARD ARTICLE
TEXT OF ARTICLE IS AS FOLLOWS
IT
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS RULED OUT DIRECT ELECTIONS IN HONG KONG THIS YEAR. OFFICIALS IN LONDON LAST NIGHT SAID:
THE IMPORT-
ANT THING FOR HONG KONG IS CONTINUITY AND STABILITY. CHANGES MUST BE GRADUAL AND PRUDENT AND HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY. WAS STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 WOULD NOT FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY, THIS WAS THE CLEAREST SIGNAL YET THAT BRITAIN WANTED DIRECT ELECTIONS POSTPONED UNTIL AFTER THE BASIC LAW FOR HONG KONG WAS DRAFTED IN 1990-1991. THE STRONG HINT CAME JUST 48 HOURS BEFORE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT DEBATED HONG KONG IN THE HOUSE
OF COMMONS.
IT WAS HOWEVER, MADE CLEAR LAST NIGHT THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE WOULD NOT ANNOUNCE ANY DECISIONS ON DIRECT ELECTIONS DURING THE DEBATE.
HE INTENDED WAITING UNTIL THE PUBLICATION OF A WHITE PAPER NEXT MONTH, WHICH WOULD OUTLINE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S VIEWPOINT ON THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE.
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BRITISH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS STRESSED THE ''CHINESE DIMENSIONS' AND SAID THE DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW NOW BEING DRAWN UP CONTAINED THREE OPTIONS FOR THE HONG KONG LEGISLATURE AFTER 1997.
EACH OPTION INCLUDED PROVISIONS FOR SOME DIRECT ELECTIONS WITH THE
SMALLEST ELECTED ELEMENT BEING 25 PERCENT.
THE APPARENT DECISION TO POSTPONE DIRECT ELECTIONS THIS YEAR IS EXPECTED TO BE ATTACKED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) BY OPPOSITION MPS WHO HAVE BEEN PRESSING FOR SOME
CONCESSIONS ON THIS ISSUE.
A THREE-MEMBER HONG KONG DELEGATION IS NOW IN LONDON IN A BID TO LOBBY FOR MORE SUPPORT FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE HONG KONG
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS YEAR.
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