TNAG-2711-FCO40-3917-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 45

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the future SAR to decide on its own under Article 98 of the Basic Law whether to reinstate appointed membership, alas proved illusory.

It is a pity that we were not able to conclude an interim agreement even on issues which are not very complex, nor controversial in this Council, nor I suspect matters of great principle to the Chinese side.

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I have considered the position carefully with the Executive Council in recent days, and with the Foreign Secretary. We have all - the Foreign Secretary, the Executive Council and I - reluctantly concluded that we now have no choice but to begin the process of legislating on the simpler issues, not least if we are to give ourselves more time to talk with China about the more difficult ones.

The Foreign Secretary has therefore informed the Chinese Government that draft legislation will be introduced into this Council covering the most immediate issues. This draft legislation will

cover:

voting method and voting age for District Boards, Municipal Councils and the Legislative Council;

the abolition of appointed seats in District Boards and Municipal Councils (and a consequent increase in the number of elected seats in Municipal Councils).

As an indication of our wish to continue cooperation with the Chinese side, the draft legislation will also include provisions to permit Hong Kong residents who are members of Chinese People's Congresses to serve in district organisations and in this Council.

We will follow the normal procedure, gazette the Bill on 10 December, and introduce this draft legislation on 15 December. This will give the Council the chance to set up a Committee to consider the Bill before the Christmas recess; to wait longer would delay everything until mid-January.

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