TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 25

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3279

OF 030730Z SEPTEMBER 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

UNCLASSIFIED

НКВ. alli HKB

CASEP 1987

79

027632

MDHIAN 1283

сс

014/1

MIPT : BASIC LAW : CONVERGENCE OF GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE : TRILOGY IV

FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSLATION OF FULL TEXT OF AH CHI'S ARTICLE IN

WEN WEI PO (3 SEPTEMBER).

BEGINS

THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY THE WRITER MENTIONED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WAS CLOSELY WATCHING THE PROGRESS IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW,

AND THA HFAZTWB FLJ

UE HALF OF JULY IT PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL ON THE

FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM TO THE CHINESE SIDE. THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO DISCLOSED THIS PIECE OF INFORMATION TOLD AH CHI THAT THE

INCLINATION OF THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD SHOULD AT THE SAME

PROPOSAL WAS THAT WHILST THE EXECUTIVE AND THE CARRY OUT THEIR RESPECTIVE FUNCTIONS, THEY TIME CO-ORDINATE WITH AND COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER, AND MAINTAIN MUTUAL CHECKS AND BALANCE. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE

EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE WAS EMPHASISED.

ON THE METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE EXCO MEMBERS, THIS GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAID THAT THE PROPOSAL OF THE BRITISH SIDE SUGGESTED THAT THEY SHOULD BE SELECTED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE FROM AMONST PRINCIPLE OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THE MAJORITY OF EXCO MEMBERS SHOULD BE NON-OFFICIALS. COMMON MEMBERSHIP BETWEEN THE LEGISLATURE AND THE EXECUTIVE WOULD FACILITATE COMMUNICATION. THE PROPOSAL ALSO FOCUSED ON THE QUESTION AS TO HOW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE WORK OF THE LEGISLATURE TWO OPTIONS WERE PUT FORWARD. ONE OPTION WAS THAT A GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE SHOULD ELECT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO BECOME LEGCO MEMBERS. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN OF THIS OPTION SQUARE BRACKETS ENDS WAS THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD TAKE THE LEAD TO INTRODUCE GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IN THE LEGISLATURE. THE DISADVANTAGE WAS THAT IT WOULD BE OPEN TO CRITICISM THAT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS, AND THAT IF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD ONLY ENTER LEGCO THROUGH ELECTIONS, THEY WOULD EASILY BE DRAWN INTO THE POLITICAL ARENA. FURTHER, IF PARTICULAR OFFICIALS

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