16A
CONFIDENTIAL
Redacted Under
FOI Exemption
Sec 27(1)
(a)
041211 MDHOAN 1598
HICB 012 I
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
24 JAN 1990
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 208
OF 22170OZ JANUARY 90
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
YOUR TELNOS 277-279 AND 283: BASIC LAW: MEETING OF THE BLDC SPECIAL GROUP ON THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
1. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THESE REPORTS.
NUMBERS APART, THE SCOPE
FOR CONVERGENCE LOOKS SOMEWHAT BETTER THAN AT THE END OF THE LAST ROUND OF SUB-GROUP MEETINGS. HOWEVER, SOME CENTRAL POINTS NEED CLARIFICATION BEFORE WE COULD GIVE ANY INDICATION THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE SIMILAR PROVISIONS BEFORE 1995. THE FOLLOWING ARE OUR INITIAL THOUGHTS. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FURTHER COMMENTS, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS WE SHALL NEED TO DECIDE QUICKLY HOW WE TAKE THOSE MATTERS UP WITH THE CHINESE. SEPARATE VOTE COUNTING
2. THIS IS NOT STRICTLY A CONVERGENCE PROBLEM SINCE THE SAME LEGISLATURE CAN VOTE IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS BEFORE AND AFTER 1997. HOWEVER, IT COULD BE A CONFIDENCE PROBLEM IF HONG KONG OPINION WAS SERIOUSLY UNHAPPY WITH WHAT WAS PROPOSED. ON THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE, WE WOULD AGREE WITH
COMMENT THAT THERE IS LITTLE EFFECT IN THE CASE OF GOVERNMENT BILLS. IN THE CASE OF PRIVATE MEMBER BILLS, THE EFFECT COULD CUT BOTH WAYS: DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS WILL BE BETTER PLACED TO BLOCK PROPOSALS BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY MEMBERS. WE SHOULD BEAR IN MIND HOWEVER THAT THE DIRECTLY ELECTED QUOTE CAMP UNQUOTE WILL BE DILUTED BY THE INCLUSION IN IT OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
3. WE ASSUME THAT
ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL OF A TRIGGER MECHANISM UPON THE REQUEST OF SIX MEMBERS INCLUDES THE SECOND HALF OF THE SUB-GROUP'S PROVISION (IE. THAT GOVERNMENT BILLS CAN BE RESUBMITTED AND PASSED WITH A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF ALL MEMBERS). IF NOT, WE WOULD CONSIDER
PROPOSAL LESS ATTRACTIVE THAN THE SUB-GROUP'S ONE. IF IT DOES, WE SEE NO REAL ADVANTAGE
IF
PROPOSAL, OTHER THAN THAT IT MIGHT AVOID DELAY IN THE PASSAGE IN LEGISLATION. WE CAN SEE WHY THE CHINESE WANT TO RETAIN THE APPEARANCE OF BICAMERALISM TO SAVE THE FACE OF THEIR SUPPORTERS, AND ON BALANCE WOULD CONSIDER THAT WE CAN LIVE WITH THE SUB-GROUP'S PROPOSALS. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.
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