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MDHIAN 9855
(A) THE NUMBER OF DEB SEATS :
(B) OUR INTENTION TO RETAIN THE RATIO OF TWO ELECTED TO ONE
APPOINTED MEMBER:
(C) OUR PROPOSAL THAT US MEMBERS WILL CEASE TO SIT ON DB IN 1989:
AND
(D) OUR PROPOSAL THAT DUAL MEMBERSHIP OF DBS AND THE UC WILL BE
PERMITTED.
IF ASKED WHAT ARRANGEMENTS FOR CROSS-MEMBERSHIP WOULD REPLACE THE
PRESENT ONE WHEREBY UC MEMBERS SIT EX-OFFICIO ON DBS, WE WILL SAY
THAT THIS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE WHITE PAPER.
6. I HOPE YOU WILL AGREE THAT THE ISSUES THAT WE NOW PROPOSE TO
ANNOUNCE ARE ESSENTIALLY MINOR TECHNICAL ONES AND THAT THEY NEED
TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE NOMINATIONS ARE OPENED FOR THE 1988 DB
ELECTIONS.
7. I ACCEPT THAT THE CHINESE MAY INITIALLY BE SURPRISED THAT WE INTEND TO MAKE THIS EARLY ANNOUNCEMENT. BUT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
RECOGNIZE THE PRACTICAL NEED FOR CLARIFYING THEIR POINT BEFORE
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS. MIFT SETS OUT · PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE IN MY TELNO 4648
TO REFLECT THE SLIGHT CHANGE OF APPROACH.
8. ON TIMING WE WOULD STILL WISH TO ISSUE THE ANNOUNCEMENT ON 17
DECEMBER. THIS IS SO THAT THE DB SEATS CAN BE GAZETTED ON 18
DECEMBER. IT WOULD BE BEST TO STICK TO THIS TIMING, BECAUSE OF THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES CONNECTED WITH THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY,
IN PUBLISHING A GAZETTE AFTER THAT DATE. THERE WILL BE A GAZETTE
ON 31 DECEMBER BUT THAT IS TOO CLOSE TO BE SENSIBLE TO THE OPENING
DAY FOR NOMINATIONS.
9. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AGREEMENT TO PROCEED ON THE BASIS OUTLINED
ABOVE AND FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO PEKING TO ACT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
WILSON
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