TNAG-2482-FCO40-3613-Correspondence-from-MPs-regarding-Hong-Kong-1992 — Page 3

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Thank you.

December 1992

Iam Rull

Mr Bowen Wells MP

A01/ The GOODCAR

House of Commons

LONDON

SW1A OAA

10: xii

Ps/Mr Goldhed

I submit a draft

reply.

Jihomin

30/12 HUD

270 2647.

Thank you for your letter of 14 December addressed to Douglas Hurd. Your support for Chris Patten's proposals for constitutional development in Hong Kong is most welcome.

You raise two specific points. Firstly, the method of choosing the Chief Executive. This is laid down in Annex I of the Basic Law. I enclose the relevant extract. Clearly, if we could discuss arrangements for the briefing of a Chief-Executive designate with the Chinese before he takes over, that would be helpful for a smooth transition. The Election Committee referred to here is, incidentally, not the same as the one which is supposed to elect 10 members of the 1995 Legislative Council. The Basic baw does not define how the 1995 Election Committee should be composed, and the Governor has proposed that it should be made up of people who have themselves been elected.

Your second point, about an independent authority to administer elections, is well taken. The Governor has proposed that an Independent Boundary and Election Commission should be set up and legislation will be put to the Legislative Council on this early next year.

ALASTAIR GOODLAD

Rt Hon David Howell, MP

wells.let.SA

SLM