TNAG-1862-FCO40-2639-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1989 — Page 116

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

CONFIDENTIAL

053712 MDLIAN 9521

ELECTION WOULD THEN NOT BE INTRODUCED: BUT ANOTHER REVIEW WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE THIRD TERM AND DIRECT ELECTION INTRODUCED IN THE FOURTH TERM UNLESS VETOED BY LEGCO. IN THE FIFTH TERM, DIRECT ELECTION FOR THE CE WOULD BE MANDATORY.

5. ON THE COMPOSITION OF LEGCO, THE DRAFT PAPER STATES A MAJORITY VIEW THAT IT SHOULD BE CONSTITUTED BOTH BY DISTRICT DIRECT ELECTIONS AND ELECTIONS BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, WITH DISTRICT DIRECT ELECTIONS RETURNING HALF OF LEGCO MEMBERS FROM THE THIRD TERM.

6 =

THE 'MODERATES ALSO SUGGEST THAT LEGCO SHOULD HAVE THE POWER

TO RECOMMEND THE DISMISSAL OF THE CE.

GROUP OF 89

7. THE LATEST PROPOSALS BY THE G89 INCLUDE A REQUEST THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEES FOR THE FIRST AND SECOND CE'S SHOULD BE THE SAME SO AS TO BOOST THE CONFIDENCE OF HK PEOPLE. LU PING WAS REPORTED TO HAVE RESPONDED NEGATIVELY, SAYING THAT THIS WOULD POSE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY AS AN ELECTORAL LAW OF THE SAR COULD

NOT ENTER INTO FORCE BEFORE 1997.

8. ACCORDING TO VINCENT LO, THE G89. STILL FAVOUR USING THE VOTER TURNOUT RATE IN THE LEGCO ELECTION AS A TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR THE

ELECTION OF THE CE BY UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE. THEY REGARD THE PRE-CONDITIONS ON THE REFERENDUM SET DOWN IN ANNEX II OF THE PRESENT DRAFT AS UNDULY RESTRICTIVE, BUT FEEL A FIXED TIMETABLE, AS SUGGESTED BY THE ''MODERATES'', TO BE OVER-RIGID AND LIABLE TO PROVOKE CONTROVERSY AS TO WHETHER THE PACE IS RIGHT.

9. THE G89 ARE STILL IN FAVOUR OF A GRAND ELECTORAL COLLEGE

RETURNING A PORTION OF LEGCO.

LIBERALS

10. TO ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES THE LIBERALS BOYCOTTED

DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DRAFTERS. ALTHOUGH THEY ATTENDED A MEETING WITH THEM THEY LEFT AFTER DELIVERING A PREPARED STATEMENT. THIS WAS GIVEN TO THE PRESS BEFOREHAND AND MERELY RESTATED THEIR

PREFERENCE FOR A DIRECTLY ELECTED CE IN 1997 BY WHICH TIME HALF

OF LEGCO SHOULD ALSO BE DIRECTLY ELECTED.

COMMENT

"

78

11. ALTHOUGH THE G89 DESCRIBE THE 'MODERATES' TIMETABLE AS TOO

RIGID THE POSSIBILITY OF A COMPROMISE SHOULD NOT BE RULED OUT SINCE

THE G89 HAS ADOPTED A FLEXIBLE STAND IN THE DRAFTING PROCESS SO FAR.

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