SEGRET
HKB 011/7
RECEIVED IN DIGISTRY
25 MAY 1993
SECRET
FM FCO
DESK OFFIC..
REGISTRY
INDEX
PA
Action Takan
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 472
OF 171524Z MAY 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
pr. Elections
063210 MDHOAN 2964
TOP COPY Q DIST?
20
YOUR TELNO 757: TALKS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS: TIMETABLE
1
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the points raised in TUR. We agree with you that the balance of the argument is very much against an early decoupling of the 1994 from the 1995 Legislation.
2.
On the question of the legislative timetable, we note that the main pressure arises in relation to the Municipal Councils. We have no difficulty with the proposal in para 11 for creating a bit more elbow room in relation to the timing of the Boundary and Election Commission's consideration of MC boundaries. If further time was needed, we wonder whether you could give an instruction to the BEC to draw up two sets of boundary recommendations for the MCs, one on the basis of the existing number of seats and a second on the basis of your proposals. We appreciate that this would involve the BEC in extra work, but it should ensure that even if the legislation were not passed until the late autumn, the BEC would be prepared to recommend the appropriate boundaries. We also wonder whether the April 1994 deadline for voter registration applies only to the DBs, or does it cover the MCs as well?
3. We agree with the proposed line in your para 12. On the questions raised in your para 13, the Chinese reaction to deadlines has consistently been to try to push us beyond them. We would therefore be inclined not to decide now to give them early warning in June/July but to judge this nearer the time. As you say, much will depend on what progress we are making in the talks.
HURD
YYYY
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