TNAG-1443-FCO40-1927-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 114

JALATP(i)

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REVISED TEXT OF PARAGRAPH 14

changes.

However

to see the 1987

the

of question

Accordingly many people in Hong Kong will not wish to review leading to dramatic introducing a directly elected element into the Legislative Council continues to attract greatest public interest.

Views are divided.

a

Those strongly in support of introducing a directly elected element maintain that this is the only way of ensuring the evolution of genuinely representative government, capable of sustaining the "high in the Joint Declaration. Those degree of autonomy" provided for against argue that the Hong Kong community is not ready for such a However, there seems to development, which could be destabilising. 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 of the legislature might be tolerable in 1997, and more radical change. The division might neutralise demands for even of opinion in the BLDC sub-group on the structure of government in which a number of the Hong Kong members are apparently against the

1997, after of direct introduction

Most community.

on focus to

reflection

debate is

the

the

is not a true

of the public

the timing of

elections even

of the opinion of

fact in

tending now introduction of a directly elected element and on members of the legislature to be selected by this method.

the proportion of

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