TNAG-1397-FCO40-1869-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1985 — Page 62

GRS 500

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2049

CONFIDENTIAL

OF 02103OZ OCTOBER 35

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : BASIC LAW

HKK 040/21

RECEIVED

Y

- 3 OCT 1985

INDEX

SUMMARY

THE ALLOCATION OF SEATS ON THE BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (3LCC) WAS OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED ON 1 OCTOBER. THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS FOLLOWED THE ENDORSEMENT BY THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE OF A REPORT BY THE SIX-MAN WORKING GROUP CHAIRED BY DR. RAYSON HUANG. INITIAL REACTION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT

WERE POSITIVE.

ALLOCATION OF SEATS ON THE BLCC

2. THE SEATS WOULD BE SHARED BY EIGHT MAJOR SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY. INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE WOULD GET 32 SEATS (21.3 PERCENT), FINANCIAL AND REAL ESTATE 13 SEATS (12 PERCENT), LEGAL 10 SEATS (6.7 PERCENT), OTHER PROFESSIONALS 31 SEATS (20.7 PERCENT),

THE MEDIA 11 SEATS (7.3 PERCENT), LABOUR AND GRASSROOTS ORGANISATION 37 SEATS (24.7 PERCENT), RELIGIOUS GROUP 6 SEATS (4 PERCENT) AND EXPATRIATES 5 SEATS (3.3 PERCENT), MAKING A GRAND TOTAL OF 150 SEATS. A DETAILED BREAKDOWN (IN ENGLISH) OF THE ALLOCATION WAS PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S SCM POST.

1

3. A TOTAL OF 60 MEMBERS WOULD BE RECOMMENDED 3Y DESIGNATED (OR SPECIFIED) ORGANISATIONS, 41 MEMBERS RECOMMENDED BY NON- SPECIFIED ORGANISATIONS AND 49 MEMBERS INVITED BY THE HONG KONG MEMBERS OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. NON-SPECIFIED ORGANISATIONS'' REFER TO GROUPS WHICH HAD REGISTERED (AS SOCIETIES, ETC) ON OR

BEFORE 23 SEPTEMBER 1985.

4. THE ANNOUNCEMENT ALSO SAID THAT NOMINATIONS MADE BY REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATIONS IN A PARTICULAR SECTOR WOULD NORMALLY BE ACCEPTED IF THEIR NUMBER DID NOT EXCEED THE QUOTA SET FOR THAT SECTOR. IF THE QUOTA WAS EXCEEDED, DR, HUANG'S SIX-MEMBER GROUP WOULD CONDUCT CONSULTATIONS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE ORGANISATIONS WITH A VIEW TO RECOMMENDING THE RIGHT NUMBER OF

CANDIDATES.

5. A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HK MEMBERS OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE SAID THAT LETTERS WOULD BE SENT TO SPECIFIED ORGANISATIONS IN A FEW DAYS TIME, INVITING THEM TO RECOMMEND REPRESENTATIVES TO SIT ON THE BLCO. ALL ORGANISATIONS ARE GIVEN 3 WEEKS TO PUT FORWARD

THEIR NOMINATIONS.

PRESS COVERAGE

CONFIDENTIAL

16

102