CONFIDENTIAL
機密
3.
Overseas, the White Paper received a particularly bad press from the major London newspapers. The editorials all condemned the contents of the White Paper, again accusing China of interference and Britain of surrendering its sovereign
obligations.
Similar reactions were evident in the American
media which described the situation as foot-dragging in the face
of Chinese pressure.
Municipal Councils and District Boards
9.
District Officers reported that there was a definite air of disappointment among District Board (DB) members over the termination of the ten indirectly elected urban DB seats to LegCo. This was offset to an extent by the introduction of the ten elected
seats on the Urban Council (UC).
10.
Local press reports revealed that many Urban Councillors were strongly opposed to the changes in the composition of the Urban Council. The new arrangement was described by them as being "illogical, inconsistent and ignorant".
11.
The Heung Yee Kuk, who retained their representation on the Regional Council, received considerable press coverage in
their denunciation of the refusal of the Government to include the
Kuk as a functional constituency in LegCo. There was little sympathy expressed in support of the Kuk. New Territories District Officers reported that the overwhelming majority of people who commented on the issue considered that the Kuk represented
only a small proportion of the New Territories population. The antics of the Kuk members were described as ridiculous and futile.
Presidency of the Legislative Council
12.
The decision in the White Paper that there would be no
change in the Presidency of LegCo in the immediate future appears
broadly to have been accepted as there was no obvious public
opposition.
CONCIDENTIAL
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