XN000022-1987-12-05 — Page 2

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1987

DIRECT ELECTIONS BEFORE 1997 IS POSSIBLE

CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE NO OBJECTION DIRECT ELECTIONS OR SOME ELEMENTS IN DIRECT BEFORE 1997, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, ON HIS RETURN FROM A SIX-DAY VISIT TO CHINA.

TO THE INTRODUCTION OF ELECTIONS IN HONG KONG

SAID TODAY (SATURDAY)

HE TOLD REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS CONFIRMED TO HIM THEIR VIEW ON DIRECT ELECTIONS IF THAT FITTED IN WITH WHAT WAS PROVIDED FOR IN THE BASIC LAW.

"WHAT I SAID TO THE CHINESE LEADERS ON THE WHITE PAPER AND THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT WAS THAT WE HAD NOT YET TAKEN DECISIONS ON

IT. THAT WOULD BE DONE IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, HE SAID.

I

"THEY ALSO TOLD ME WHAT THEY WERE DOING ON THE BASIC LAW. I WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY ASKING THEM FOR THEIR VIEWS ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997."

SIR DAVID STRESSED THAT HE HAD TOLD CHINESE LEADERS THAT WHEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TOOK DECISIONS ON DIRECT ELECTIONS AND WHEN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONSIDERED THE MATTER IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, THEY WOULD BE TAKING ACCOUNT OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS PUT IN THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT.

+

"IT'S NECESSARY TO PUT TOGETHER A COMPLETE PACKAGE BECAUSE THE GREEN PAPER DEALT WITH A WHOLE SERIES OF ISSUES AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WANTS TO LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE AND PRODUCE THE PACKAGE WHICH WILL MAKE UP THE WHITE PAPER.

"

THE GOVERNOR ALSO EMPHASISED THAT IT WAS NOT TIED TO THE TIMING OF THE BASIC LAW PLENARY SESSION.

"IT'S TIED TO THE FACT THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS BE DISCUSSED, AND THERE IS ONLY A LIMITED TIME EACH WEEK IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING.

TO

THE

"WE WILL, HOWEVER, WISH TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS COMING OF THE BASIC LAW PLENARY SESSION NEXT WEEK.'

*

OUT

IN REPLY TO OTHER QUESTIONS, SIR DAVID NOT TRYING TO REACH ANY AGREEMENT OR MAKE ANY VISIT.

HE ALSO TOLD REPORTERS THAT IT HAD TRIP IN CHINA WITH THREE DIFFERENT

---

AND MOST OF IT HAD

BEEN

PEKING TRADE RELATIONS AND ECONOMIC LINKS.

PLACES INVOLVED

STRESSED THAT HE WAS COMPROMISE DURING THE

BEEN A RELATIVELY SHORT CANTON, SHANGHAI AND MATTERS,

IT HAD BEEN A VERY USEFUL OPPORTUNITY WITH SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS ON A RANGE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

WITH ECONOMIC

IN PEKING ΤΟ DISCUSS ISSUES, INCLUDING THE

"THE CHINESE