TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 205

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF

Paragraph 3.12 (now 3.13) read as follows:

"There have been calls to bring forward the 1991 elections to the Legislative Council to 1990 or even to this year, in order to help accelerate the progress to full democracy. We do not think this is practical. First, because under our proposals (see below) there would be many more directly elected members in the next elections than presently planned, it is necessary to have an electoral law suitable for general elections in place before then (see paras 3.8 and 3.9 above). Secondly, after the traumatic events of recent weeks we hope there could be a period of relative calm and consolidation before Hong Kong embarks on what will be an unprecedented election campaign. Sir David Wilson told us that, in his view, to bring forward the elections would be to introduce another element of uncertainty, and we agree with his judgement."

Amendment proposed, in line 2, to leave out, "we do not think this is practical" and insert:

"Although we are of the opinion that faster progress to full democracy could and should have been made, we realise that there may now be practical difficulties to such a timetable”.—(Mr Dennis Canavan.)

Question proposed, That the Amendment be made-Amendment by leave, withdrawn.

Another Amendment proposed in line 2, to leave out “do not think this is practical” and insert "realise that there may be practical difficulties”.—(Mr Dennis Canavan).

Question put, that the Amendment be made.

The Committee divided.

Ayes, 5

Mr Dennis Canavan Mr Ivan Lawrence

Mr Ted Rowlands Mr Peter Shore Mr Bowen Wells

Paragraph, as amended, agreed to.

Noes, 4

Mr Michael Jopling Mr Ian Taylor

Mr Peter Temple-Morris Mr Michael Welsh

Paragraph 3.13 (now 3.14) read, amended and agreed to.

Paragraphs 3.14 to 3.16 (now 3.15 to 3.17) read and agreed to.

Paragraph 3.17 (now 3.18) read as follows:

“On 30 May OMELCO came to a unanimous view that the Chief Executive should be elected by universal suffrage no later than 2003, the date at which OMELCO also agreed that all members of the Legislative Council should be directly elected. Mr. Kevin Lau, of Hong Kong Link argued in evidence to the Committee that “democracy is a whole package. If the legislature is going in the direction of direct elections and full democracy, the Chief Executive must be equally representative". We accept that the objective must be direct election of the Chief Executive. The Joint Declaration states that he “shall be selected by election or through consultations held locally”. We do not believe that the emergence of the first Chief Executive by a process of consultation is any longer acceptable, if ever it was. Neither do we believe that he should be elected by the Legislative Council, despite the fact that that body will by our proposal be itself directly elected in 1995. We accept Miss Maria Tam's argument that there should be a separation of powers between the legislature and the executive. We believe that universal suffrage for such an election would not be practicable in 1997 and could also risk confrontation with the People's Republic. It is essential that the Chief Executive and particularly the first Chief Executive be acceptable to Beijing. We therefore believe that the first Chief Executive should be elected by means of an electoral college. Like OMELCO we believe that this electoral college should itself be democratically constituted and should therefore resemble that proposed for the second and third Chief Executives in the second draft of the Basic Law. We believe also that the first Chief Executive should be elected six months before the transfer of sovereignty, i.e. in January 1997, so that, like a new President of the United States, he has a chance to prepare for government after the transfer itself. It is important for Hong Kong's stability that the first Chief Executive should not be asked to take on his heavy and extensive responsibilities on the day of his election. The role of the first Chief Executive in ensuring a smooth transfer is of great importance and delicacy. The second and subsequent Chief Executives, however, should, in our view, be elected by universal suffrage." An Amendment proposed, in line 12, to leave out from “executive” to the end of the paragraph, and insert the words:

"The best way to ensure this is to have the Chief Executive elected by universal suffrage and we believe that the election of the first Chief Executive should take place at least six months before the transfer of sovereignty in 1997.”—(Mr Dennis Canavan.)

Question put. That the Amendment be made.