TNAG-2448-FCO40-3564-Elections-in-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1992 — Page 75

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175236 MDHOAN 3234

p.r. Elections (BL)

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TO DESKBY 28010OZ PEKING

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OF 271942Z OCTOBER 92

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INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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MIPT : ELECTION COMMITTEE : PUBLICATION OF MINISTERIAL EXCHANGES

1.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF SUMMARY TO BE RELEASED WITH THE

COMMENTARY AND OTHER DOCUMENTS ON 28 OCTOBER (THIS SUMMARY IS NOT FOR PASSING TO THE CHINESE): BEGINS:

-

CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE CLAIMED THAT EXCHANGES BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA IN EARLY 1990 ADDED UP TO AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG.

- TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT, WE HAVE DECIDED TO RELEASE THE TEXTS OF THE RELEVANT MESSAGES. THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE BEEN INFORMED. THESE DOCUMENTS SHOW THAT:

THERE WAS NO AGREEMENT OR UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE UK AND CHINA ON THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1995 IN HONG KONG - WE MADE CLEAR REPEATEDLY OUR DISSATISFACTION AT THE CHINESE PROPOSALS FOR THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL : AND THAT WE INTENDED TO CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR A FASTER RATE OF INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF THESE SEATS

- AT THE END OF THESE EXCHANGES, THE QUESTION OF ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG UP TO 1997 REMAINED OPEN

THIS WAS THE BROADER CONTEXT FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE WHICH, UNDER THE BASIC LAW, WOULD ELECT 10 MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW WAS NOT SATISFACTORY ON THIS POINT BECAUSE IT DID NOT SPELL OUT AS WE HAD ASKED THE FIVE PRINCIPLES AGREED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES AS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. NOR DID IT MAKE CLEAR THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE LEGISLATURE IN 1997.

SINCE THERE WAS NO AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON THE COMPOSITION OF

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