TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 37

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SENIOR UNOFFICIAL OF EXCO. THERE COULD ALSO BE A NEED TO APPOINT TO EXCO THOSE MEMBERS OF LEGCO WHO HAD TAKEN THE LEAD ON SPECIFIC SUBJECTS. TO PURSUE THIS OPTION WOULD HOWEVER HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE ISSUE OF CONVERGENCE UNLESS IT WERE CLEAR THAT THE

CHINESE PROPOSED TO ADOPT A SIMILAR SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE SAR IN

THE CONTEXT OF THE BASIC LAW. BEGIN SQUARE BRACKETS THIER CONSIDER-

ATION OF THESE ISSUES MAY WELL NOT BE FAR ENOUGH ADVANCED TO ALLOW

ANY CHANGE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO BEING DECIDED

UPON IN THE CONTEXT OF THE 1987 REVIEW. END SQUARE BRACKETS.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP

15. THE GREEN AND WHITE PAPERS OUTLINED VARIOUS POSSIBLE METHODS

OF CHOOSING MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WITH DIFFERENT

COMBINATIONS OF INDIRECTLY ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS. THE

WHITE PAPER ALSO RECORDED THAT THERE WAS STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF DIRECT ELECTIONS BUT LITTLE SUPPORT FOR SUCH ELECTIONS

IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE". IT NOTED CONSIDERABLE GENERAL PUBLIC

CONCERN THAT TOO RAPID PROGRESS TOWARDS DIRECT ELECTIONS COULD

PLACE THE FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG IN JEOPARDY. THE DIVISION OF OPINION ON THE DESIRABILITY OF DIRECT ELECTIONS

HAS DEEPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS KNOWN

TO BE CONCERNED AT THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF SUCH ELECTIONS IN HONG

KONG (SEE PART I). THE ISSUE IS HOWEVER ONE WHICH THE GOVERNMENT UNDERTOOK WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE 1987 REVIEW.

16. THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS WILL BE:-

(A) TO MAKE NO CHANGE IN THE PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS, AT LEAST IN THE

1988 ELECTIONS: AND CONSIDER THE ISSUE AGAIN IN THE LIGHT OF THE

DRAFT BASIC LAW WHEN IT APPEARS IN 1988 AND IN ADVANCE OF THE 1991

ELECTIONS.

(B) TO ADJUST THE PRESENT PROPORTIONS BETWEEN THE NUMBERS OF ELECTORAL COLLEGE, FUNCTIONAL, AND APPOINTED UNOFFICIAL AND APPOINTED OFFICIAL MEMBERS WITH THE OBJECT OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INDIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF APPOINTED MEMBERS. AS LONG AS OFFICIALS ANWER FOR THE GOVERNMENT ON POLICY

MATTERS NO FURTHER REDUCTION IN OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP WOULD BE PRACTICABLE AND EXPERIENCE IS DEMONSTRATING THAT THE PRESSURE OF TWO OR THREE MORE WOULD IN FACT ASSIST THE BUSINESS OF THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

PRESENCE

(C) TO INTRODUCE A DIRECTLY ELECTED COMPONENT OF UP TO ONE QUARTER

OR ONE THIRD OF THE MEMBERSHIP EITHER ALONGSIDE OR INPLACE OF THE

MEMBERS ELECTED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGES.

POSSIBLE MODES OF DIRECT ELECTION

17. POSSIBLE MODES OF DIRECT ELECTION ARE :

(A) SINGLE LIST FOR THE WHOLE TERRITORY:

(B) TO DIVIDE THE TERRITORY INTO THREE REGIONAL CONSTITUENCIES

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