1. Ack
2. HKD for
HOUSE OF COMMONS
LONDON SW1A 0AA
Rt. Hon. Douglas Hurd, CBE, MP,
a
drift reply from
Mr. Goodlad by 31/12pl
Foreign and Commonwealth office, Ricketts
Whitehall,
LONDON, SW1A 2AH
14th December, 1992.
Ps
estom. Goodlad
Sir J Colen
Mr. Hum
Special Ach
Draft alfached 'FED
Ps/th Goodland
Miss Sale 22/12
Орин
سلا
Der Douglas
I was very interested to study your letter of 6th October outlining Chris Patten's proposals for constitutional development in Hong Kong, which I support wholeheartedly.
Two of the issues raised by the Foreign Affairs Committee's report are not covered and I wonder whether you can let me know what your current thinking on them might be.
Clearly, the election and appointment of the Chief Executive must be crucial to the continuation of the democratic system after 1997. I know that this poses difficulties whilst the Governor remains the Chief Executive, which he will have to do right up to the point at which we hand over. However, I think an attempt must be made to agree with the Chinese how the Chief Executive will be elected to fulfil the undertakings given in the 1984 Agreement with China.
The second difficult question is how do we make certain that the election machinery remains independent of the Executive. In most colonial constitutions this vital organisation has been left under the authority of the present government and has given rise on many occasions to successor independent governments being able to rig the subsequent elections. It seems to me to be very necessary to establish an independent authority to prepare for and administer elections if they are to have any chance of being free and fair.
Your Bower
BOWEN WELLS, MP
c.c. Rt. Hon. David Howell, MP
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.