TNAG-0370-FCO40-416-Visit-of-Edward-Heath--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Hong-Kong--12-1-1973 — Page 17

CONFIDENTIAL

criteria.

43. Line to Take: Hong Kong is too wealthy to meet our aid

The aid announced last year is however a token of

our special relationship with, and interest in, the Colony.

ELECTIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Brief no. 13)

44. There has been pressure in Hong Kong recently for some

elected element on Legislative Council. At present all

members are either Officials or are nominated by the Governor.

The Chinese Government have however made it clear on a number

of occasions that any constitutional progress towards self-

government would not be acceptable to them. Elections for one

or two members would achieve little; would involve setting up

registers of the whole Colony; and would be likely to increase

communal tensions between communist and Kuomintang supporters.

45. Line to Take: The circumstances of Hong Kong are special

and make difficult any progress towards an elected form of

government. But there are other means of consultation with

public opinion. Examples are the Office of the Unofficial

Members of Executive and Legislative Councils (UMELCO), the

City District Officer Scheme, and the wide network of committees

and advisory bodies which exist on various subjects. There is

also an elected element on the Urban Council.

OIL (Brief no. 14)

46.

Hong Kong faces a shortfall in the supply of fuel oil for

electricity generation and diesel oil for public transport.

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