TNAG-2452-FCO40-3569-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1992 — Page 48

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py.

Constit sept

Copy Desteoft's

MDLIAN/3168

778)

HUB 01/ TOP COPY

Q DIST?

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2934

OF 21100OZ DECEMBER 92

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: COUNTER PROPOSALS.

SUMMARY

1. HONG KONG DEMOCRATIC FOUNDATION CHKDF) AND UNITED DEMOCRATS OF HONG KONG (UDHK) SEPARATELY PUT FORWARD COUNTER PROPOSALS ON 18

DECEMBER. THEY WERE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PACKAGE BUT HAD DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO SEATS IN 1995, THE RETENTION OF EX-OFFICIO SEATS IN THE DISTRICT BOARDS (DBS) AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS (MCS), THE DELINEATION OF NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES (FCS), AND THE QUESTION OF ONE MAN, ONE VOTE''.

DETAIL

2. HKDF PROPOSED THAT:

(I)

(II)

(III)

(IV)

(V)

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSHIP ON MCS AND DBS SHOULD BE ABOLISHED:

THE CURRENT NUMBER OF DB SEATS AND THE ALIGNMENT OF DB BOUNDARIES SHOULD BE RETAINED FOR 1994. BOTH THE NUMBER OF SEATS AND THE ALIGNMENT OF BOUNDARIES CAN BE REVIEWED

BY THE PROPOSED ELECTION AND BOUNDARY COMMISSION NEARER

THE TIME OF THE 1999 ELECTION:

THE ELECTION COMMITTEE SHOULD BE MADE UP ENTIRELY OF ELECTED DB MEMBERS (I.E. EXCLUDING EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS):

THE NINE NEW FCS SHOULD BE DELINEATED ACCORDING TO THE FOUR GUIDELINES AS SET OUT IN THE 1988 WHITE PAPER. (HKDF ARGUED THAT OUR PROPOSAL WAS AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF PROVIDING FOR ''SPECIALIST'' REPRESENTATION THROUGH THE FC SYSTEM, AND ALSO AGAINST AN UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES.) VOTING RIGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO INDIVIDUAL, NOT/NOT CORPORATE ELECTORS: AND

EACH ELECTOR SHOULD ONLY BE GIVEN ONE VOTE IN LEGCO

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