TNAG-2210-FCO40-3170-Future-of-Hong-Kong-political-parties-1991 — Page 15

The Hon. John Major C/o The Governor Government House

2nd September 1991

Dear Prime Minister

HONG KONG,

DEMOCRATIC

FOUNDATION

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19

AGENDA FOR VISIT TO CHINA

We are writing on behalf of the Hong Kong Democratic Foundation, one of Hong Kong's major political parties, on the

occasion of

your current

visit to China for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Hong Kong's new airport.

following to place the

is of

matters on the agenda of your

These officials of the Chinese Government.

matters are stability and prosperity. continuation of Hong Kong's

British and concern to

Chinese great

both the

We

urge you meetings with essential to the which we know

governments:

1. The pace of democratisation

2. Hong Kong's autonomy

3. The release of more land

4. Vietnamese Boat People

1. A faster pace of democratisation

of the only 50%

This pace of

Annex II of the Basic Law provides that up to 2007 Legislative Council (Legco) will be directly elected. democratisation is unacceptably slow to the people of Hong Kong.

Members of

the Legislative

In 1988,

of the the Office

and Executive Councils (OMELCO) reached a consensus the 50% of Legco seats should be

elected by 1995 and 100%

The British directly

Government by 1997.

In accepted the OMELCO Consensus and made a commitment to implement it. fact, the House of Commons Select Committee

even faster agreed to an pace: that 50% of Legco seats should be directly elected by 1991 and

Sadly, neither of these commitments has been adhered to.

100% by 1995.

You will be

body of election suffrage".

of the main aware that Annex II is contrary to Article 68

is the the Basic Law,

"The ultimate aim which promises that. of all members of the

universal Legislative Council by

Annex I to the Basic Law provides that the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special

Administrative

college.

is to Region

be elected (SAR)

by an

the members of

are which

in turn chosen by

This

Chief Executive is method of selecting the

elec oral China-dominated body.

obviously undemocratic. It is also contrary to Article 45 of the Basic Law itself, which provides that the ultimate aim is the election of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage.

Rm. 1401 Hung Tak Commercial Bldg., 106-108 Des Voeux Road Central, H.K. Tel.: 805 1015 Fax 5432810

10+

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