SECRET
5. On the specific business of our talks, we have made clear
all along that we wished to discuss arrangements for the next cycle of elections in Hong Kong with the Chinese side.
In his speech to the Legislative council on 7 October 1992, the
Governor emphasised that he wished to hold detailed discussions
during his visit to Peking later in October about major issues
which will determine Hong Kong's future, including the
proposals for the 1995 election arrangements.
6.
The British side consider that if the result of the 1994
and 1995 elections are to command confidence in Hong Kong, the
elections will need to be held on a basis that is fair, open
and acceptable to the people of Hong Kong. The Governor's
proposals meet that requirement. The British Government fully
support them, and consider that they are fully compatible with
the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law and relevant
understandings and agreements between Britain and China.
7. The community in Hong Kong wants more representative government. But it also wants as much continuity as possible
in 1997. The Governor's proposals are designed to meet these aspirations. He could have pressed for more directly elected
seats, but he did not do so.
The Governor's proposals provide for the
continuation of the evolutionary development of representative
government in Hong Kong. They should be able to provide the
basis for a "through train" running on tracks laid down by the
Basic Law.
SECRET
openingstatement14.4
THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN
CLOSED UNDER
TOI EXEMPTION NO. 27 (1)