CONFIDENTIAL
171257
MDHIAN 4879
(III) IT SHOULD BE AS REPRESENTATIVE AS POSSIBLE.
(IV) THE PROCEDURES FOR THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES TO THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD BE SIMPLE, OPEN AND PRESCRIBED IN THE ELECTORAL LAW.
(V) VOTING SHOULD BE BY SECRET BALLOT.
THE PAPER ALSO SUGGESTED A BASIS FOR FURTHER DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE.
THE
(B) IN THE PAPER ON VOTING PROCEDURE FOR THE SAR LEGISLATURE, BRITISH SIDE SUGGESTED RETENTION OF THE SIMPLE VOTING METHOD FORESEEN IN THE DRAFT VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW (WHICH IS THE ONE CURRENTLY USED BY LEGCO).
(C) IN THE THIRD PAPER, THE BRITISH SIDE EXPRESSED SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE NEW NATIONALITY PROVISIONS FOR THE SAR LEGISLATURE.
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SIXTH, A MESSAGE FROM THE CHINESE SIDE OF 8 FEBRUARY 1990 DELIVERED BY MR CHEN ZIYING. THE CHINESE SIDE STATED THAT IF THE BRITISH SIDE RESTRICTED THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN 1991 TO 18, THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS OF THE FIRST SAR LEGISLATURE TO 20. THE CHINESE SIDE AGREED WITH THE FIVE PRINCIPLES PROPOSED BY THE BRITISH SIDE FOR THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, BUT REJECTED THE COMPOSITION PROPOSED BY THE BRITISH SIDE. THEY INSISTED THAT THE COMPOSITION MUST BE AS IN ANNEX I TO THE DRAFT VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW.
SEVENTH, A MESSAGE FROM MR HURD TO MR QIAN OF 12 FEBRUARY 1990. MR HURD CONFIRMED AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD LIMIT THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN LEGCO IN 1991 TO 18 OF THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW PROVIDED FOR 20 DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN THE SAR LEGISLATURE IN 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. (THAT UNDERSTANDING WAS MADE PUBLIC BY MR HURD IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON 16 FEBRUARY 1990. STATEMENT ATTACHED.) HE ADDRESSED THREE OTHER AREAS THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, THE NEW NATIONALITY PROVISIONS FOR THE SAR LEGISLATURE, AND THE VOTING METHOD OF THE SAR LEGISLATURE. ON THE
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