•
28-OCT-1992 17:40
A.G.'S CHAMBERS
+852 877 2130
P.24
Annex
Message from
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the Chinese Foreign Minister
(12 February 1998)
I have now had time to consider fully your message February and the points made by Mr Chen Ziying to Sir Alan Donald on your instructions on 8 February.
of
3
As
achieving an
Hong
two
Kong's
attach I
great
know, you
to importance
understanding between our two Governments on
future political structure and to
re-establishing the atmosphere of mutual trust in which our Governments have worked together in the past to promote Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. I recognise that the Chinese government have approached this matter in the same spirit and have made serious efforts to identify a mutually satisfactory way forward.
Against this background, I am now prepared to confirm an understanding with the Chinese Government on the
following lines.
If the final version of the Basic Law
20
directly elected seats in the SAR
1999, and 30 in 2003, the
for provides legislature in 1997, 24 in British Government will be prepared to limit to 18 the number of directly elected seats to be introduced in 1991.
You will, however, be. aware from my previous messages that this rate of progress in introducing directly elected seats would not be as rapid as many people in Hong
Kong Or we ourselves
I therefore very
would have liked.
much hope that as you observe the 1991 legislature in operation you will come to share our view that a faster pace would be both manageable and desirable, and that, by agreement with you, an appropriate increase might be made
in 1995 to create a steeper
after 1997.
On
slope which could continue this basis, I propose at this stage to