CONFIDENTIAL
052217
MDI
N7971
BUSINESSMEN THOUGHT THE MAIN-STREAM MODEL WAS ALREADY AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE CHA-CHA MODEL AND WAS THEREFORE ACCEPTABLE. FEW OTHERS BELIEVED THE MODEL COULD BE AMENDED LATER.
5. THERE WAS UNANIMOUS OPPOSITION TO THE SEPARATE VOTING SYSTEM. THE MAIN CRITICISMS WERE THAT IT WAS UNNECESSARILY COMPLICATED, INFLEXIBLE, INEFFICIENT AND BOUND TO AGGRAVATE THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN VARIOUS GROUPS IN THE LEGISLATURE.
A
6. THE PROPOSAL TO RESTRICT TOP CIVIL SERVICE POSTS TO CHINESE NATIONALS WAS GENERALLY REGARDED AS ACCEPTABLE. SOME CAUTIONED THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED TOO FAR DOWN THE HIERACHY OR ELSE IT MIGHT LEAD TO A MASS EXODUS.
7. LIMITING THE NUMBER OF FOREIGN PASSPORT HOLDERS IN LEGCO TO 15 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL WAS GENERALLY CONSIDERED REASONABLE. HOWEVER THERE WERE SOME WHO ARGUED THAT IT WAS A BREACH OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND UNDESIRABLE AS HONG KONG IS AN INTERNATIONAL CITY AND RESTRICTING FOREIGN PARTICIPATION MIGHT AFFECT INTERNATIONAL CONFIDENCE. SOME ALSO WONDERED HOW THE 15 PER CENT RESTRICTION WOULD WORK IN PRACTICE.
WILSON
YYYY
MAIN
59
DISTRIBUTION
62
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
.(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH (FE)
PUSD
NEWS D
PS/MR MAUDE
PS/LORD BRABAZON
MR GILLMORE
MR MCLAREN
MR BLATHERWICK MR MOSS
ADDITIONAL
3
MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADV
MS BARRETT LEGAL ADV
NNNN
PAGE
MR FIFOOT HKD
2
CONFIDENTIAL