TNAG-1597-FCO40-2182-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 58

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36.

The reasons given by those explicitly in

favour of, or against direct elections, may be briefly

In

summarised as follows. Those who are opposed, in

principle, to direct elections argue that they would

seriously threaten the stability and harmony of

harmony of Hong

Kong society; and that this in turn would damage

internal and overseas confidence in the territory's

future and threaten its economic prosperity.

particular, fears have been expressed at the possible

emergence of political

political parties, along western lines,

which would tend to emphasise and even create divisions

within the community and

community and to foster the development of

opposing political or ideological platforms, rather

than encouraging the search for broad agreement on the

way to tackle important issues, which has been the

foundation of stable and consistent government in Hong

Kong.

37.

direct

Those in favour of the introduction of

elections see them not as a threat to the

stability and harmony of Hong Kong society, but as the

proper means of achieving a system of government which

is truly representative of all sectors of the community

and thus able to carry out its policies with the

support of the majority of Hong Kong people. In their

view indirect elections alone cannot ensure the

election of members of the Legislative Council able to

represent fully and speak directly for

directly for the people of

Hong Kong.

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