HKB 011/7 RECEDED IN REGISTRY
2 MAY 1993
REGISTRY
Action Taker.
youpra Cord
Election's
106400
MD,HIAN 2276 hit
27 topg
ри
Elections
28
TOP COPY G DIST?'
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 850
OF 26091OZ MAY 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS.
TALKS.
*
1.
MEDIA SPECULATION ON THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS CONTINUED TODAY (27 MAY), WITH A NUMBER OF REPORTS ON ALLEGEDLY CHINESE THINKING ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS.
2.
SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THERE WAS STILL A BIG GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE ISSUE OF THE THROUGH TRAIN. HE WAS HOWEVER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF TALKS. PRESS REPORTS NOTED THAT SIR ROBIN HAD HINTED THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS COULD NOT BE SPLIT UP. SOME HIGHLIGHTED HIS REMARKS THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD BE PATIENT BECAUSE THE TALKS HAD TO BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE RESULTS.
3. ACCORDING TO SING TAO DAILY, THE CHINESE SIDE WERE CONSIDERING A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. QUOTING SOURCES, THE REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF SPECIAL SECTORS IN HONG KONG AND MUST COME FROM ORGANISATIONS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE. AS SUCH THE CHINESE WERE INCLINED TO INCLUDE PRO-CHINA ORGANISATIONS AND BUSINESS BODIES. LIKELY CANDIDATES WOULD BE AMCHAM, ASSOCIATIONS OF CHINESE ENTERPRISES, HAWKER AND RETAIL ASSOCIATIONS ETC..
4.
ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, THE CHINESE WOULD INSIST ON THE FOUR CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP UNDER THE BL: BUT WOULD GIVE THE BRITISH A SAY IN THE 10 LEGCO MEMBERS TO BE RETURNED BY THE EC. ACCORDING TO THE SOURCES THERE HAD BEEN A SUGGESTION FROM SOME IN HONG KONG THAT THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES SHOULD EACH NOMINATE SIX TO SEVEN CANDIDATES FOR THE EC TO ELECT ON A ONE-MEMBER, ONE- VOTE BASIS.
THE REPORT SAID THAT THE CHINESE WERE ALSO INCLINED TO INTRODUCE THE NATIONALITY RESTRICTION FOR MEMBERSHIP ONLY IN THE
5.
1
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