SECRET
XCX(93)36
27
(c)
(d)
if Urban Council, Regional Council and Heung Yee Kuk were to remain as FCs, and assuming that there is to be a four-part Election Committee (EC) the first three sectors of which are to be based on FCs, it would mean that the three organizations would each be able to elect up to 15 persons to sit on the EC (assuming the Committee is to have 600 members as the Chinese proposed). It is almost certain that they will elect the EC members from amongst their own members. This will sail very close to breaching one of the five principles for an EC proposed by the British side and agreed by the Chinese side in February 1990; namely that "the composition of the EC should be designed, as far as possible, to avoid direct duplication with the membership of other constituencies returning members of the legislature"; and
with a four-part EC, members of the two Municipal Councils and the Heung Yee Kuk could participate in the 4th sector of the Election Committee, which is their natural home in the context of the overall EC composition, to elect ten Legislative Council Members. Their links with the Legislative Council will thus be preserved.
Subject to Members' advice, our negotiators will make this proposal to the Chinese side in the context of discussions on the new FCs for 1995.
ATTENDANCE
Mr C.M. LEUNG
Mr J.Y.T. LẠI
16 July 1993 (CAB C1/19)
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs
Principal Assistant Secretary (Constitutional Affairs)
COUNCIL CHAMBER
Executive Council