TNAG-2451-FCO40-3568-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 65

SCA

CONFIDENTIAL

PAO(S) 2/1156/91

Constitutional Development: The Way Forward

1.

We have undertaken to send a paper to the FCO and to Peking this week, outlining our views on the way forward on constitutional development.

2.

The following summarises my notes on elements that

might go into the paper:

(a)

The Local Dimension

1

1

We should not ourselves propose modifications or alternatives to the Governor's proposals.

We should consider alternatives put forward by others, eg. members of LegCo.

For the Election Committee, the criteria against which

any alternatives should be judged should be the five

principles accepted by the Chinese.

For Functional Constituencies, the criteria should be

those in the White Paper of 1988.

A motion debate in LegCo would best come after the Chinese, both at JLG and perhaps Foreign Minister

level, have had an opportunity to hold discussions with us: that means in the second half of January

before Chinese New Year.

CONFIDENTIAL