TNAG-2718-FCO40-3924-Hong-Kong-electoral-provisions-and-arrangements-1993 — Page 91

SECRET

121423

MDHIAN 2945

MEMBERS SHOULD BE OMITTED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ALL ELECTED AND SHOULD NOT IN ANY CASE ELECT MEMBERS OF THEIR OWN COUNCIL. NPC

AND CPPCC DELEGATES SHOULD ALSO BE OMITTED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT

ELECTED IN HONG KONG.

7. INSOFAR AS THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WERE CONCERNED, WE SHOULD INSIST UPON THE EXPANSION WE HAD PROPOSED FOR THE ELECTORATE IN THE EXISTING 21 SEATS. IF WE MOVED FROM OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSALS ON THE 9 NEW CONSTITUENCIES, WE SHOULD STILL INSIST THAT THEY BE SUBSTANTIAL, BROADLY BASED AND ACCEPTABLE TO HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE CHOICE OF SPECIFIC CONSTITUENCIES AND THEIR EXACT SIZE WOULD LARGELY BE A MATTER OF JUDGEMENT. THAT JUDGEMENT

PROBABLY COULD NOT BE MADE UNTIL LATE IN THE DAY WHEN WE SAW THE

SHAPE OF AN OVERALL PACKAGE.

8. WE SHOULD MAINTAIN OUR POSITION THAT CLEAR, OBJECTIVE AND FORWARD-LOOKING CRITERIA SHOULD BE DEVISED FOR THE PREPARATORY

COMMITTEE TO USE WHEN CONFIRMING THAT LEGCO MEMBERS COULD RIDE

THE THROUGH TRAIN. OUR PROPOSAL FOR MEMBERS TO TAKE AN OATH TO UPHOLD THE BASIC LAW WAS REASONABLE. WE WERE NOT SEEKING ADVANCE ASSURANCES ON INDIVIDUALS. WE SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE FOR THE TIME-

BEING TO PRESS THE CHINESE ON THE OTHER THREE PROPOSALS WE HAD

RAISED IN THE FIRST ROUND.

9. THESE WERE THE BOUNDARIES WITHIN WHICH I THOUGHT WE SHOULD SEEK AN AGREEMENT. A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME WITHIN THEM WOULD IN MY JUDGEMENT, BE DEFENSIBLE IN HONG KONG.

PATTEN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

65

DISTRIBUTION

72

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

PAGE

3

SECRET