TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 112

JALATP(i)

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REVISED TEXT OF PARAGRAPH 14

Accordingly many people in Hong Kong will not wish to see the 1987

review leading to dramatic changes. However the question of

introducing a directly elected element into the Legislative Council

continues to attract greatest public interest. Views are divided.

Those strongly in support of introducing a directly elected element

maintain that this is the only way of ensuring the evolution of a

genuinely representative government, capable of sustaining the "high

degree of autonomy" provided for in the Joint Declaration. Those against argue that the Hong Kong community is not ready for such a development, which could be destabilising. However, there seems to be a widespread acceptance, even among many of the more conservative

business and professional groupings that the direct election of up

to 25 per cent

cent of the legislature might be tolerable in 1997, and

might neutralise demands for even more radical change. The division

of opinion in the BLDC sub-group on

the BLDC sub-group on the structure of government in

which a number of the Hong Kong members are apparently

are apparently against the

introduction of direct elections even after 1997, is not a true

reflection of the opinion of the community. Most of the public

debate is in fact now tending to focus on the timing of the

introduction of a directly elected element and on the proportion of

members of the legislature to be selected by this method.

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