TNAG-2277-FCO40-3276-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-1991 — Page 121

TMP/EssION OF the situation in Hong Kong, and the British

Government's policy towards it.

Contrary to your assertion, the British Government has not resisted

pressure for the introduction of direct elections over the last 40

years. The people of Hong Kong have been content with the

arrangements made for their representation in Hong Kong's

decision-making bodies. There have been direct elections to local

town councils in Hong Kong over the past 25 years. When direct

elections to the Legislative Council were first discussed in the

late 1980s, the Hong Kong Government's 1988 White Paper recommended

that the process start with 10 directly elected seats. Following

concerns about Hong Kong's future after the disturbances in Peking

in June 1989, the British Government pressed for an increase in

this number to the 18 directly elected seats which were contested

at last weekend's elections. This was only 2 short of the number

recommended by members of the Hong Kong Executive and Legislative

Councils in July 1989.

The fact is that 92% of Hong Kong must revert to China when the

lease expires in 1997. The remaining 8% is not viable on its own.

We have negotiated with the Chinese an arrangement which will

safeguard Hong Kong's capitalist system and way of life for at

least 50 years after 1997. That arrangement provides for the

progressive introduction of democracy in Hong Kong. The number of

directly elected seats to the Legislative Council will increase in 1999 to 24, and to 30 in 2003, with the possibility of full direct

elections thereafter. Our aims are to ensure that this steady progress is maintained, if not accelerated, up to and beyond the transfer of sovereignty in 1997.

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