TNAG-2716-FCO40-3922-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 114

Seventh, a message from Mr Hurd to Mr Qian of 12 February

1290. Mr Hurd confirmed an understanding that the British side would limit the number of directly-elected seats in LegCo in 1991 to 18 if the final version of the Basic Law provided for 20 directly-elected seats in the SAR Legislature in 1997, 24 in 1999, 30 in 2003. However, he said that he hoped the Chinese side would come to share the British side's view that

a faster pace in introducing directly elected seats would be both manageable and desirable and that, by agreement with the Chinese side, an appropriate increase might be made in 1995. (That understanding was made public by Mr Hurd in the House of Commons on 16 February 1990. Statement attached). There was thus no agreement or understanding between the UK and China on the number of directly-elected seats in 1995. He addressed three other areas - the Election Committee, the new nationality provisions for the SAR Legislature, and the voting method of the SAR Legislature. On the Election Committee, Mr Hurd said that he agreed in principle with the arrangements proposed by the Chinese side, which could be established in

1995, but that details of how this should be done could be

discussed between the two sides in due course. expressed the hope that the five principles agreed between the two sides could be reflected in the Basic Law.

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•

He also

4. Mr Hurd told the House of Commons on 16 February 1990: "The key issues (other than directly elected seats) are voting procedures, the composition and constitution of the Grand Electoral College

and restrictions on the nationality of

•

members of the post-1997 Legislature.

as for 1995, we plan to increase the number of directly-elected seats to at least 20. If we then decide to introduce the electoral arrangements envisaged in the Basic Law, it will be possible for members elected in 1995 to carry on over the 1997 barrier to 1999." This statement makes clear that no decision had been

taken on whether or not to introduce the electoral

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