TNAG-1440-FCO40-1924-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 24

SECRET

college).

methods

There are a number of possible

of achieving selection on

One mold might be

this

veges a follows googe.

of / timets

basis, including) a college composed

current members of the Executive and the

Legislature; former members of the Hong Kong

Executive Council and Legislative Council;

representatives of bodies now forming the

consultative colleges for the election of

members of functional constituencies in the

existing

and

Legislative

Council;

—

representatives of other territory-wide

bodies composed of local inhabitants, as

defined in the Joint

the Chairman and

Declaration, including

former Chairman of

organisations of standing in the Community.

8. A single contested direct election (option (a) above) would be unlikely to find favour in Hong Kong, at its present stage of development; it would be regarded as a major and fundamental change and as

as too likely to lead to highly charged adversarial politics and thus instability.

9.

An election of the Chief Executive by majority vote among members of the Legislature (option (b) above) would

of producing

be

an

easily understood method

which would

assist

a

Chief

Executive. It would confirm that he enjoyed the confidence

of the Legislature

the conduct of

government. It would require no body additional to those referred to in the Joint Declaration to be established, and is likely to be favoured by many in Hong Kong.

10. A wider consultative college (option (c) above) would require the creation of a new body for which there is no provision in the Joint Declaration. There is no experience available in Hong Kong on which a judgment could be made of

how it

lead would

and its novelty might suspicion. On the other hand, it might find favour in Hong

operate

to