TNAG-2010-FCO40-2862-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-General-Election-Com-1990 — Page 46

SECRET

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 311200Z FCO TELNO 376

OF 3110OOZ JANUARY 90

HKE 012 14 нко

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

0 2FEB 1990

DESK OFFICER

REGIS

NDEX

लि

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

067571

MDHIAN 4576

TOP COPY DIST >

MIPT: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

s o

THE FOLLOWING IS OUR DRAFT TEXT FOR THE PAPER ON VOTING METHODS:

BEGINS

Redacted under FOI exemption sections 27 (1)(a), (c), (d)

VOTING PROCEDURES FOR THE SAR LEGISLATURE

2. ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, AT ITS MEETING IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, THE BLDC SPECIAL GROUP ON THE POLITICAL SYSTEM AGREED TO ADD TO THE BASIC LAW A NEW PROVISION ON SEPARATE VOTE COUNTING AS FOLLOWS :-

''UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY THIS LAW, ALL BILLS AND MOTIONS INTRODUCED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE HKSAR SHALL BE PASSED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS ELECTED BY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF MEMBERS RETURNED BY DIRECT ELECTION AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE ATTENDING THE MEETING. IF A BILL PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT PASSED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF EITHER OF THE ABOVE TWO CATEGORIES OF MEMBERS ATTENDING THE MEETING, THE GOVERNMENT SHALL AMEND THE BILL AND RE-SUBMIT IT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR VOTING: SUCH BILLS SHALL BE PASSED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF ALL THE MEMBERS ATTENDING THE MEETING.''

3. PRESS REPORTS OF THE OUTCOME OF THE GUANGZHOU MEETING HAVE ATTRACTED A GREAT DEAL OF PUBLIC CRITICISM IN HONG KONG. MOST OF THEM FOCUSSED ON THE DIVISIVENESS AND INEFFICIENCY OF THE PROPOSED VOTING SYSTEM. WIDESPREAD CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS AGREED BY THE SPECIAL GROUP ON THE POLITICAL SYSTEM DESPITE STRONG AND WIDESPREAD LOCAL OBJECTIONS.

4. THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A NUMBER OF COMMENTS ON THIS

PAGE

SECRET

1