TNAG-1353-FCO40-1794-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 65

GRS 1550 CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 0705452 MAR 85

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELEGRAM NUMBER 210 OF 7 MARCH

Onli

икка

·IVED:

7 MAR 1985

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPS WASHINGTON, NEW YORA, COENEVE

TOP COPY

BRUSSELS

FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF ORIGINATOR.

BEGINS

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 470 OF 6 MARCH

INFO PRIORITY PEKING

MIPT: AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT AND ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, ETC.

FOLLOWING IS FULL TEXT OF PROPOSED PRESS RELEASE TO BE ISSUED WHEN LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL IS PUBLISHED

IN GAZETTE ON 8 MARCH.

DRAFT PRESS RELEASE

A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR INDIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 13 MARCH 1985.

2.

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL 1985, PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY, SEEKS TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE PLANS DESCRIBED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.

3. IT IS BASED BROADLY ON THE EXISTING ELECTORAL LAW FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS. IT IS IN EIGHT PARTS AND CONTAINS TWO SCHEDULES, THE LATTER SETTING OUT IN DETAIL THE VARIOUS ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, THE CATEGORIES OF PERSONS ENTITLED TO BE REGISTERED AS ELECTORS, AND THE NUMBER OF SEATS FOR EACH CONSTITUENCY.

4.

THE FIRST SCHEDULE TO THE BILL DEALS WITH THE PROPOSED ELECTORAL COLLEGE. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT IN ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES, EACH MEMBER WILL HAVE ONE VOTE. URBAN COUNCILLORS AND PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCILLORS WHO ARE

ALSO DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO VOTE IN THEIR URBAN OR REGIONAL COUNCIL CONSTITUENCIES SEMICOLON THEY WILL NOT

HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE OR ADDITIONAL VOTE IN THEIR DISTRICT BOARD CONSTITUENCY AS WELL. THE CHAIRMAN AND TWO VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK WILL VOTE IN THE PROVISIONAL REGIONAL COUNCIL CONSTITUENCY.

CONFIDENTIAL

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