TNAG-1716-FCO40-2396-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 142

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133501 MDHIAN 3004

THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PUBLISHED

IN NOVEMBER. AS A FINAL STAGE IN THE REVIEW PROCESS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PUBLISH A WHITE PAPER IN EARLY FEBRUARY SETTING OUT ITS PLANS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS UP TO 1991

2. THE WHITE PAPER WILL COVER ALL THE ISSUES ADDRESSED IN THE

GREEN PAPER. THE CHINESE SIDE MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT IT

WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS AND DECISIONS.

(A) DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

(B)

(I)

RESPONSE TO THE GREEN PAPER SHOWS THAT THERE IS WIDE SUPPORT AMONG THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR THE PRINCIPLE OF INTRODUCING AN ELEMENT OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS INTO THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL: BUT THE COMMUNITY IS DIVIDED OVER THE

APPROPRIATE TIMING FOR THIS MOVE.

(II) THE BRITISH SIDE BELIEVES THAT, IN CONSIDERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT BEFORE 1997, ACCOUNT MUST BE TAKEN BOTH OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE COMMUNITY

(AS IN (I) ABOVE) AND OF THE RELEVANT STIPULATIONS OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION AND THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE.

(III) DIRECT ELECTIONS WILL NOT BE INTRODUCED IN 1988. HOWEVER, TEN SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL BE FILLED BY DIRECT

ELECTIONS IN 1991, WITH ONE MEMBER ELECTED FROM EACH OF TEN DISTRICT-BASED CONSTITUENCIES. THIS ARRANGEMENT WILL TAKE THE

PLACE OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM BY WHICH TEN SEATS ARE FILLED

INDIRECT ELECTIONS FROM THE DISTRICT BOARDS.

COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

BY

THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES IN THE OVERALL SIZE OF THE COUNCIL IN

1988. THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE TEN OFFICIAL MEMBERS. THE NUMBER

OF APPOINTED MEMBERS WILL BE REDUCED BY TWO. TWO ADDITIONAL ELECTED

MEMBERS WILL BE ELECTED FROM EXPANDED FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

(C) THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

(I)

THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN THE ROLE AND COMPOSITION OF

THE DISTRICT BOARDS. HOWEVER, THEIR ADVISORY ROLE WILL BE DEVELOPED BY REQUIRING GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS TO CONSULT THE

BOARDS ON ALL DISTRICT MATTERS. THE BOARDS WILL ALSO BE

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