TNAG-1986-FCO40-2819-Presentation-of-UK-policy-on-Hong-Kong-to-the-media-1989 — Page 164

We and the Hong Kong Government will be taking a

careful look at the programme to advance and consolidate

democracy in Hong Kong. In recent years, Hong Kong has

been developing a more representative system of

government. When the Joint Declaration was signed in

1984 there were no elected members of the Legislation

Council. Now 26 members, almost half the total, are

indirectly elected. We have always sought to develop

representative government in line with the wishes of the

community as a whole and to ensure that what is achieved

under British administration is firm and durable.

will remain the guiding principles as we consider the way

forward. All the reforms up to and including those

There

announced last year for the introduction of 10 directly

elected seats in 1991 have been based on an assessment

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of what Hong Kong itself wanted.

It is now clear that Hong Kong opinion has moved on

since last year. That was plain before the massacre in

Peking. The unanimous proposal by the members of the

Executive and Legislative Councils (OMELCO) on 24 May

for a 50% directly elected legislature by 1997, moving to

full direct elections by 2003 was a most important

indication of the emerging consensus.

But OMELCO

indicated during my recent visit to Hong Kong that they

will want further time to consider their position in the

light of recent developments.

Britain will continue to construct its approach to

this question on the basis of the views that Hong Kong