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13.
These are important changes. They will improve
the functioning of Hong Kong's Government and its accountability.
14.
Just as important are the arrangements for the 1995 Legislative Council elections. I am determined that these elections should be free and fair and seen to be so. The people of Hong Kong deserve no less and the international community demands no less.
15.
The British Government has repeatedly said that it would press the Chinese Government for an increase in the number of directly-elected seats beyond the 20 currently envisaged. The British Foreign Secretary put the case for this to the Chinese Foreign Minister in New York on 25 September; we shall continue to press the case with vigour.
16.
But there are ways which we can pursue in parallel to develop Hong Kong's representative institutions to the maximum extent. Abolishing appointments to Hong Kong's local Government (the 'District Boards'), for example, and making them all directly elected; greatly expanding the electorate for the Legislative Council's functional constituencies to include the entire working population of Hong Kong; and using the directly-elected District Boards to make up all or most of the so-called Election Committee which will, under the Basic Law, be charged with electing 10 members of the Legislative Council in 1995.
17.
To maximise the chances of continuity we shall be discussing the electoral arrangements for 1995 with the Chinese side; but our proposals are the result of
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