CONFIDENTIAL
p.a. leglo
M3 azlı
MA, Grechts@
TOP COPT Q DIST?
135521
MDHIAN 8817
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1685
OF 221137Z JUNE 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
30
Tel onl
ол
ре
YRTELNO 973: LEGCO MOTION DEBATE ON OMELCO CONSENSUS
1. OVER THE WEEKEND, MCGREGOR HAS MADE A COUPLE OF MINOR AMENDMENTS TO HIS OWN MOTION. THESE ARE OF NO/NO MAJOR IMPORTANCE. THE MCGREGOR MOTION NOW READS:
'THAT THIS COUNCIL REAFFIRMS ITS ADHERENCE TO THE PROPOSED PACE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SET OUT IN
THE 1989 OMELCO CONSENSUS AND REQUESTS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO LESS THAN HALF OF THE SEATS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTED BY UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IN 1995.'
2. WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED AN AMENDMENT TO MCGREGOR'S MOTION FROM
NGAI SHIU-KIT. THE FULL AMENDED MOTION READS:
'THAT THIS COUNCIL REQUESTS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO REACH AN EARLY DECISION ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE 1995 ELECTIONS, INCLUDING THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND TO SEEK CHINESE ACCEPTANCE OF IT AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SMOOTH TRANSITION OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.'
3. WHILE THE AMENDMENT STEERS CLEAR OF THE 1989 OMELCO CONSENSUS MODEL, IT AIMS AT COMMITTING HMG TO MAKE AN EARLY APPROACH TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THIS MATTER. BOTH FOR THIS SPECIFIC REASON, AND ON MORE GENERAL GROUNDS, WE CONSIDER THAT EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS SHOULD ABSTAIN FROM VOTING. THERE SEEMS NO/NO NEED FOR ANY CHANGE TO SCA'S ORIGINAL DRAFT SPEECH FAXED TO YOU EARLIER.
4. OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT CRC LEGCO MEMBERS WILL MOST PROBABLY
BE ABLE TO CARRY THE AMENDMENT WITH A SMALL MAJORITY.
5. GRATEFUL FOR ANY COMMENTS DESKBY 23010OZ.
WILSON
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.