TNAG-0373-FCO40-419-Visits-of-members-of-the-Hong-Kong-Urban-Council-to-the-UK-1973 — Page 22

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STATEMENT FOR RELEASE ON ELECTIONS TO HONG KONG EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS

Passed by News Department to Evening News on behalf of Mr Royle

The problem about moving towards an elected legislature is that in the special circumstances of Hong Kong self-government or independence has to be ruled out. This is obvious for geographical and historical reasons. The Chinese Government have made it clear on many occasions that they are satisfied with the present status of Hong Kong. The Unofficial Members of ExCo and LegCo keep in touch with public opinion through their own organisation UMELCO, which maintains a very successful office for consultations and complaints from the public. addition the Government is advised by a wide network of committees, in which a large number of the public are involved. The Urban Council, a partly elected and partly nominated body, looks after specialist functions in the urban area.

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