CONFIDENTIAL
par. Pesentation
107326
MDHOAN 1860
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE TOKYO
TELNO 514
OF 051123Z OCT 92
HARZ 012/
AND TO IMMEDIATE WASHINGTON, CANBERRA, OTTAWA
이래
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MIPT: MESSAGE ON HONG KONG CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE FROM ME:
BEGINS: WHEN WE MET IN NEW YORK ON 22 SEPTEMBER, WE DISCUSSED BRIEFLY DEVELOPMENTS ON HONG KONG. I MENTIONED THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD BE MAKING A MAJOR POLICY SPEECH ON 7 OCTOBER IN WHICH HE WOULD SET OUT HIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. I THOUGHT THAT YOU MIGHT LIKE TO HAVE IN CONFIDENCE AN ADVANCE ACCOUNT OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS AND THE BACKGROUND TO THEM.
2.
HONG KONG HAS CHANGED RAPIDLY IN RECENT YEARS, ON THE POLITICAL AS WELL AS ECONOMIC FRONTS. ON MY VISITS THERE, I NOW FIND MUCH MORE POLITICAL AWARENESS. HONG KONG'S SYSTEM HAS ALREADY EVOLVED A LONG WAY IN THE DIRECTION OF DEMOCRACY. BUT IT HAS BEEN CLEAR FROM THE CONSULTATIONS WHICH THE GOVERNOR HAS HELD SINCE HIS ARRIVAL IN HONG KONG IN JULY THAT FURTHER CHANGES ARE NOW NEEDED.
3=
THE PROPOSALS WHICH THE GOVERNOR WILL BE ANNOUNCING ON 7 OCTOBER ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EFFECTIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT: TO MAKE THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM MORE DEMOCRATIC AND FAIR: AND TO MAXIMISE THE CHANCES OF CONTINUITY THROUGH 1997 BY EXPLOITING TO THE FULL THE FLEXIBILITY AVAILABLE WITHIN THE BASIC LAW.
4.
THEY FALL INTO TWO PARTS. FIRST, THERE ARE STEPS TO BE TAKEN STRAIGHTAWAY TO MAKE HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS MORE EFFECTIVE, AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM. THE GOVERNOR INTENDS TO SEPARATE THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS SO THAT NO NON-OFFICIAL MEMBERS OF LEGCO WOULD ALSO SERVE ON EXCO. THIS WILL END THE ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY REPRESENTATIVES OF SOME POLITICAL GROUPS IN EXCO SERVED ON LEGCO WHILE OTHERS DID NOT, AND ENABLE LEGCO POLITICIANS TO DEVELOP THEIR PARTIES AND PROGRAMMES FREE FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF EXCO MEMBERSHIP. THE GOVERNOR WILL ALSO BE TAKING OTHER STEPS TO
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