TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 13

14-JUL-1993 14:36

Gallagher

TRANSCRI PT MR ALASTAIR GOODLAD

0491 579838

P.10

SELECT COMMITTEE

14 JULY 93

10

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So the Chinese wanted that in 1984, we wanted it. But I think

everything that one sees in Hong Kong now points to the fact that people there want a degree of democracy.

Now the Basic Law, which

is a Chinese law which comes into effect in 1997, stipulates further extensions of democracy in some detail, but not all the details are filled in, particularly the arrangements which I have set out in the memorandum for the 1995 Legislative Council elections, the Municipal Council elections, the District Board elections in 1994, there are gaps to be filled in and that is what we are talking to the Chinese about at the moment.

COMMITTEE MEMBER:

Could you explain to us how far the extension of democracy in Hong Kong is being determined by what the British government and the Hong Kong government believes is desirable, or how far is it being determined by what the Chinese government will accept?

MR GOODLAD:

The Governor undertook very wide consultations in Hong Kong prior to making the proposals which he did with our support, and needless to say in consultation with the British government, and he has said, and we have said, that these represent proposals which we think would be acceptable to the people of Hong Kong, but of course they are proposals only. And one of the purposes of the

discussions with the Chinese side now, which have taken a little

longer than we would have wished, is to elicit from them whether

or not they have any better proposals.