TNAG-2448-FCO40-3564-Elections-in-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1992 — Page 6

CONFIDENTIAL,

Flection's (Br ?) 005660 (3

MDHIAN 5613

WHB 011/10

TOP COPY Q DIST?

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2594

OF 301038Z OCTOBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: STATEMENT BY HONG KONG AND MACAU OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL

SUMMARY

1. A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE YESTERDAY (29 OCTOBER) ON THE DIPLOMATIC DOCUMENTS MADE PUBLIC THE DAY BEFORE WAS EXTENSIVELY REPORTED BY THE LOCAL PRESS. THE STATEMENT INSISTED THAT THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE SIDES HAD REACHED AN 'UNDERSTANDING' OVER THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS AND COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. THE ENGLISH TEXT AS PUBLISHED IN SCMP WILL BE FAXED TO RICKETTS (HKD).

DETAIL

2. QUOTING EXTENSIVELY FROM A WRITTEN MESSAGE DATED 12 FEBRUARY 1990 FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, THE STATEMENT MAINTAINED THAT A MUTUAL 'UNDERSTANDING' HAD BEEN REACHED ON THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN LEGCO FOR 1995 AND BEYOND. THE STATEMENT ARGUED THAT ALTHOUGH THE BRITISH SIDE

EXPRESSED THE HOPE THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD CONSIDER AN APPROPRIATE INCREASE IN THE DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS AFTER THE ELECTION IN 1991, IT IS A MOST SIMPLE SENSE (SIC) THAT THE UNILATERAL HOPE CANNOT NEGATE THE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING.'

3. ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, THE CHINESE STATEMENT REFERRED TO THE 12 FEBRUARY MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO HIS CHINESE COUNTERPART, AND CONCLUDED THAT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE BRITISH SIDE AGREED WITH (SIC) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ELECTION COMMITTEE IN 1995 IN LINE WITH PARAGRAPH 2 IN ANNEX I OF THE BASIC LAW.' THE STATEMENT WENT ON TO SAY: 'REGARDING THE FIVE PRINCIPLES THE BRITISH SIDE SUGGESTED, MOST OF THEM WERE REFLECTED IN VARIOUS PARAGRAPHS OF ANNEX I OF THE BASIC LAW.' THE STATEMENT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SPEAKING NOTE OF THE BRITISH SIDE HAD STATED THERE WERE NO LONGER ANY OBSTACLES TO THE CO- OPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE QUESTION OF ELECTION COMMITTEE (YRTELNO 118 OF 1990).

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