SECRET
British Embassy Peking
pa
123
Elections
(011/7)
4 November 1993
LUKB 01117
BY
11 Guang Hua Lu
PAST
Peter Lai“Esq
Deputy Secretary for Constitutional Affairs
Constituti
HONG KONG
(By classified fax: IMMEDIATE)
Dear Peter,
TALKS ON 1994/95 ELECTIONS:
Jian Guo Men Wai
Peking
People's Republic of China
Telephone: 532 1961/2/3/475 Cable: Prodromo Peking
Telex: 22101
~Faquimile; 582 (939 ext. 249
M. Marrs s/n. The Chinese full
Mr Buste
Mir Samb
str
DB/MC APPOINTED MEMBERS
may try this; if So. Here will be
no deal (see below
Let's see
1. I still wonder whether we may be jumping to premature conclusions about the Chinese position on appointed membership of DBS and MCs in 1994/95, ie whether they are prepared for us
Their present to legislate to abolish appointed membership. formula still leaves it open to them to say that we should maintain the status quo until 30 June 1997, when the SAR will decide whether to change it.
2. I suppose the Chinese might fall back to saying that we could maintain the present system but in practice not make any appointments in 1994/95, and that they would not object to this. It would therefore be helpful to know whether this is a constitutionally feasible position or whether we can rule it out ab initio on the grounds that, without legislation to abolish the appointed seats, until the Government made the prescribed number of appointments the DBs and MCs would not be properly constituted, ie they could not conduct any business? suppose that since you would still wish to legislate to increase the number of elected seats it would in theory be possible to legislate at the same time to make optional the appointment of extra members.)
3.
(But I
Perhaps Jiang Enzhu will put an end to such speculation tomorrow and enlighten us about Chinese thinking!
Yours
Nigel.
ever
N J COX
CC
PF-Ricketts Eng, HKD----FCO (By classified fax: PRIORITY)
SECRET