D.2
D.3'-
20
in
SECRET
5-
5.
the final version of the Basic Law provided for directly-elected seats in the SAR Legislature 1997, 24 in 1999, 30 in 2003. However, he said that he hoped the Chinese side would come to share the British side's view that a faster pace
in introducing directly elected seats would be both manageable and desirable and that, by agreement with the Chinese side, an appropriate increase might be made in 1995. But there was agreement or understanding between the UK and China on the number of directly-elected seats in 1995. He addressed three other areas Election Committee,
new nationality provisions for the SAR Legislature, and the voting method of the SAR Legislature. On the Election Committee, Mr. Hurd said that he agreed in principle with the arrangements proposed by Chinese side, which could be established in 1995, but that details of how this should be done could be discussed between the two sides in due course. He also expressed the hope that the five principles agreed between the two sides could be reflected in the Basic Law.
the
the
the
Unfortunately, (the Chinese Government did not change their position on the new nationality provisions for the SAR Legislature, nor on the voting method for the SAR Legislature.) The five principles were not fully reflected in the final version of the Basic Law. For example, the principle that voting should be by secret ballot was omitted.
addition, the final version of the Basic Law (paragraph 2 of Annex II) made clear that the Election Committee of the first SAR Legislature would explicitly not be the Election Committee for 1999 whose composition was set out in Annex I of the Basic Law, but gave no indication of what its composition should be.
In
The Election Committee for 1995 is thus one of several issues on which the Governor has had to put forward his own proposals since the Basic Law offers no guidance on it. His proposals are fully consistent with the five principles which the Chinese side said at the time they were prepared to agree to.
7