TNAG-2450-FCO40-3567-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 198

65.4, 316

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5

6.

The Governor said that he could say in his

that

some

while the Chinese

and

we

had their points of

want

to

reach

address

view on

agreement with HK people to decide, and rightly so, what would best

matters

did

them, it would eventually be up to the

serve

their

long-term interests.

He would want to

make it clear that he did have a bottom line, and what

he

would ask for

understanding of that

would not be able to

bottom

go.

from the

line

SCA

an

community was

which he beyond

observed that the

job easy if they

Chinese would make the Governor's proposed, say, a 100-member EC which would obviously be open to rigging. The meeting agreed that the Governor's address should mention spring of 1993 as the timing for implementation of the package.

7.

Head/CPU

said that

the

EC proposed

could

still fall between the stools i.e. while the Chinese would denounce it, it could also be criticized locally as not sufficiently democratic. CS said that we must

get the public on side before the

critical mood.

build-up

of a

It was therefore important for us to take a positive lead in public discussions in the first few days following the Governor's address.

8.

The Governor said that he could not find any dilute the EC by including a double vote for the FCs, and MCs had been excluded for exactly the

easy way to

same

reason.

said UK

Rep

that there was merit in

CPPCC delegates in the EC provided

of being appointed.

CS

including NPC and

they were elected instead doubted whether this would be well received locally or

by

the Chinese

who would not

clearly

be able to

introduce an open election process for the selection

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