TNAG-1284-FCO40-1636-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 308

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23. ASSUMING THAT THE PERIOD OF OFFICE OF ELECTED MEMBERS OF

THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS WILL BOTH BE FOR THREE

YEARS, SO AS TO FIT IN WITH THE ELECTORAL CYCLE FOR THE DISTRICT

BOARDS AND THE REGIONAL COUNCILS, IT IS (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED)

PROPOSED THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTION OF THE MAJORITY

OF THE UNOFFICIALS MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE INTRODUCED PROGRESSIVELY, I.E. FOUR IN 1988 AND OTHER FOUR (OR FIVE) IN 1991 FOLLOWING THE SECOND

AND THIRD ELECTIONS RESPECTIVELY TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

SOME UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS MIGHT BE APPOINTED FROM ELECTED LEGISLATIVE

COUNCIL MEMBERS BEFORE THAT DATE.

THE GOVERNOR

24. AS FROM 1992, IT IS (NEXT WORD UNDERLINED) PROPOSED THAT THE POST OF GOVERNOR, OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SHOULD BE FILLED THROUGH A CONSULTATIVE PROCESS, CONFIRMED BY SOME FORM OF ELECTION: BUT

AGAIN ON AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE BASIS. UNTIL 1997 THE GOVERNOR

WOULD STILL BE ACTUALLY APPOINTED BY THE QUEEN. HE WOULD STILL CHAIR

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BUT, AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT, HE WOULD BE BOUND TO ACCEPT AND IMPLEMENT THE COUNCIL'S DECISIONS,

UNLESS THERE WERE AREAS RESERVED FOR HIS PERSONAL DECISION BY

LAW. HE WOULD BY THEN HAVE CEASED TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TIMING OF ANNOUNCEMENT

25. THERE WILL BE INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT TO

REVEAL ITS PLANS FOR EXTENDING THE ELECTIVE PROCESS TO THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND IT WOULD NOT BE PRACTICABLE TO REMAIN SILENT ON THE POINT WHEN THE PROPOSED DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG IS PUBLISHED, PROBABLY IN THE AUTUMN. THIS

SUGGESTS THAT A GREEN PAPER CONTAINING THE PROPOSALS SHOULD BE

PUBLISHED DURING THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER.

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/ADVICE