TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 38

CONFIDENTIAL

176442

MDHIAN 2678

FINALISED THRE COULD BE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT ELECTED SEATS COULD BE INCREASED IN 1994 AND THAT A REVIEW COULD BE UNDERTAKEN OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO.

OTHER ISSUES

8. A FEW MEMBERS SPOKE IN FAVOUR OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK BECOMING A FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY AND A FEW ASKED FOR EARLY ACTION IN MAKING THE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS NECESSARY FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991. SEVERAL SUGGESTED THE NEED FOR MORE CIVIC EDUCATION. A FEW ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN AT INCREASED EMIGRATION AND WONDERED WHETHER THIS WAS NOT DUE IN PART OTTO THE DIVISIONS IN THE COUNCIL.

WINDING UP

9. IN WINDING UP THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THAT HE WAS MORE THAN EVER CONVINCED THAT THE PRUDENT AND GRADUAL APPROACH ADOPTED IN THE WHITE PAPER WAS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. IT WAS CLEAR THAT MOST MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NOW ACCEPTED IT WAS RIGHT TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991 AND THE PRINCIPAL TASK NOW WAS TO WORK TOWARDS THIS. HE NOTED A NUMBER OF POINTS RAISED BY INDIVED- UAL MEMBERS AND AGREED THAT THERE WOULD BE ROOM FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT AFTER 1991. WHEN THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE KNOWN. HE TOO ENDED WITH A CALL FOR UNITY.

COMMENT

10. WHILE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT SOME ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER, THERE WAS CLEAR SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL APPROACH. MARTIN LEE AND HIS SUPPORTERS WERE UNABLE TO OBTAIN THE BACKING OF THOSE MEMBERS OPPOSED TO SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE WHITE PAPER E.G. THE HEUNG YEE KUK AND THOSE FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BASED ELECTORAL COLLEGE. THEIR TACTICS AND UNWILLINGNESS TO COMPROMISE IN ANY WAY,

/ ANGERED MANY MEMBERS. A BREAKDOWN OF HOW MEMBERS VOTED ON LEE'S AMENDMENT IS IN MIFT, TOGETHER WITH A BREAKSOWN OF THE SPEECHES ON THE MOTION AS A WHOLE AND ON SZETO'S AMENDMENT.

INSTEAD

11. THE MEDIA HAVE GIVEN EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO THE TWO-DAY DEBATE. COMMENTARIES HAVE BEEN FEW, HOWEVER, AND THESE MOSTLY NOTE THAT NO NEW GROUND WAS COVERED. THE SCMP RAN AN EDITORIAL TODAY WHICH STRONGLY SUPPORTED LYDIA DUNN'S CALL FOR UNITY. IT SAID THAT CRITICS SHOULD STOP QUIBBLING OVER THE TIMING OF DIRECT ELECTIONS