TNAG-1596-FCO40-2181-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 261

GRS 900

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESK BY 2509OOZ FCO

TELNO 2490

OF 250445Z JUNE 87

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

Secret

OP COPY

DIS

MY FOURTH IPT: STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT: LONGER-TERM ISSUES

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF NOTE 3.

BEGINS

THE LEGISLATURE

COMPOSITION

SECTION 1 OF ANNEX TO THE JOINT DECLARATION PROVIDES THAT THE LEGISLATURE OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION SHALL BE CONS ITUTED BY ELECTIONS'.

2.

PAPER OF MAY 1986 SUGGESTED THAT THE METHODS OF ELECTION, AT LEAST IN GENERAL TERMS, WOULD NEED TO BE SPECIFIED IN THE BASIC LAW.

NOTE 2 OF OCTOBER 1936 DISCUSSED POSSIBLE WAYS OF ''VALIDATING' THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE PRESENT GROUPS OF OFFICIAL AND APPOINTED MEMBERS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE CONTINUES TO ENJOY SUFFICIENT SUPPORT FOR HIS POLICIES IN THE LEGISLATURE AND THAT GOVERNMENT BUSINESS IS CARRIED OUT

EFFICIENTLY.

3.

HAVING REGARD TO RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG, AND TO THE IDEAS WHICH ARE EMERGING IN THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION ON THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE LEGISLATURE OF THE FUTURE SAR MIGHT COMPRISE THREE MAIN GROUPS OF ELECTED

MEMBERS :

(1)

MEMBERS ELECTED BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SEMICOLON

(11)

MEMBERS ELECTED BY A SYSTEM OF DIRECT ELECTIONS BASED ON GEOGRAPHICAL CONSTITUENCIES SEMICOLON

(14)

་ ་

MEMBERS ELECTED BY A BROADLY BASED GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE (GEC)

4.

SUCH A COMPOSITION SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL SECTORS OF THE POPULATION ARE REPRESENTED IN THE LEGISLATURE AND ABLE TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS HEARD, IN THAT:

(A)

REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WOULD SPEAK FOR THE MAJOR TERRITORY-WIDE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES IN SECTORS CRUCIAL TO THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL BEING STABILITY & PROSPERITY?