TNAG-2718-FCO40-3924-Hong-Kong-electoral-provisions-and-arrangements-1993 — Page 145

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 24140OZ FCO

TELNO 836

OF 24123OZ MAY 93

SECRET

pa Electron's

101101

MDADAN 8928

24

HKB ONZ RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

25 MAY 1993

DESK OFFICER

Secret

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

Action. Taken

PEKING TELNO 720: TALKS WITH THE CHINESE: BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION (BEC) BILL.

1.

OUR HUNCH IS THAT THE CHINESE HAD OVERLOOKED THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS OF THE BEC BILL UNTIL THEIR ATTENTION WAS DRAWN TO IT BY THE DB MEMBERS WHO RECENTLY VISITED PEKING. THEY MAY NOW BE CONCERNED THAT THE BILL WILL PRE-EMPT DISCUSSION IN THE TALKS ON DB ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. BUT WE WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THEY SAW THIS AS A MAKE-OR-BREAK ISSUE. WE MUST IN ANY CASE STEER A COURSE BETWEEN TRYING TO RESPOND TO CHINESE CONCERNS AND THE RISK OF BEING DRAWN INTO DETAILED AND STERILE DEBATE.

2. I THEREFORE ENDORSE SIR R MCLAREN'S PROPOSED TACTICS. WE SHALL REPORT AS SOON AS LEGCO HAS PASSED THE BILL ON 26 MAY. IN REVERTING TO THE CHINESE THAT AFTERNOON, I SUGGEST THE EMBASSY DEPLOYS AS APPROPRIATE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

3.

WE GAVE YOU A COPY OF THE BILL ON 21 JANUARY AND EXPLAINED THE TIMETABLE. THIS WAS OF COURSE BEFORE YOU HAD ACCEPTED OUR PROPOSAL FOR TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. YOU HAVE BEEN IN A POSITION TO FOLLOW ITS PASSAGE IN LEGCO OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS. SURPRISED THAT YOU MADE NO COMMENT UNTIL 23 MAY, THREE DAYS BEFORE THE END OF THIS PROCESS.

THIS IS IN ANY CASE A PURELY TECHNICAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION. THE BEC MUST BE PUT IN PLACE NOW TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO COMPLETE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994 DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AND THE 1995 MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

THE BILL DOES NOT IN ANY WAY PRE-EMPT DECISIONS ON THE FUTURE OF APPOINTED MEMBERSHIP FOR THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS.

THERE IS ONE POWERFUL FURTHER POINT WHICH YOU MAY BE ABLE TO

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