CONFIDENTIAL
14. ALL THESE MATTERS DEALT WITH IN MORE DETAIL IN WHITE PAPER.
GENERAL COMMENTS
15. (A) NOTHING IN THE WHITE PAPER WHICH IS INCONSISTENT WITH PROVISIONS REGARDING FUTURE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT, SET OUT
IN SECTION 1 OF ANNEX I TO JOINT DECLARATION. WORKING PAPER STATES SPECIFICALLY THAT IN PREPARING THE WHITE PAPER THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECOGNISED THE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THE PROVISIONS OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT
AND THE PLANS HAVE BEEN FRAMED ACCORDINGLY.''
I?) WORKING PAPER DOES NOT DEPART FROM THE PRINCIPLES ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN GREEN PAPER. CAUTIOUS APPROACH MAINTAINED.
NO SPECIFIC PROPOSALS FOR INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS, OR FOR CHANGES IN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OR POSITION OF GOVERNOR.
(C) CHANGES IN GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS FOR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL ENSURE THAT SEATS TO BE FILLED BY INDIRECT ELECTION BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE WILL BE MORE EVENLY DISTRIBUTED GEAGRAPHICALLY. INCREASE IN NUMBER OF THESE SEATS IS MATCHED BY SIMILAR INCREASE IN SEATS ALLOCATED TO DUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES (WHICH WAS IN ANY CASE NECESSARY TO GIVE FULL WEIGHT TO REPRESENTATION OF ECONOMIC AND PROFESSIONAL SECTORS OF HONG KONG SOCIETY) BUT APPOINTED AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL TOGETHER STILL BE IN A MAJORITY OVER MEMBERS INDIRECTLY ELECTED).
(D) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON LINES NOW PROPOSED WILL GO SOME WAY TO MEETING DEMAND FOR A MORE VISIBLY REPRESENTATIVE LEGCO.
BUT NO REASON TO FEAR IT WILL BE A MORE RADICAL BODY THAN PRESENT COUNCIL.
(E) DECISION TO BRING FORWARD REVIEW TO 1987 REFLECTED STRONG PUBLIC FEELING, IN DUSCUSSION OF GREEN PAPER PROPOSALS, THAT 1989 TOO LATE. REVIEW IN 1987 WILL ENABLE QUESTIONS OF DIRECT ELECTIONS AND OTHER ISSUES RAISED IN GREEN PAPER AND SUBSEQUENT DEBATE TO BE CONSIDERED BEFORE 1988 ELECTIONS.
(F) PROCEEDING WITH PUBLICATION NOW TO MEET PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS IN HONG KONG, AND BECAUSE TIMETABLE WAS ESTABLISHED FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF GREEN PAPER. A FURTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS THAT PARLIAMENT WILL EXPECT TO KNOW WHAT STEPS IT IS PROPOSED TO TAKE TOWARDS REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WHEN DEBATING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT NEXT MONTH.
GVANS
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
HD/PUSD
DEP HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/MR LUCE
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
MR WILSON
SIR J FREELAND
COPIES TO:(VIA ADR) MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS
MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET
OFFICE
MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE
CONFIDENTIAL SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195
SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST
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