TNAG-2719-FCO40-3925-Hong-Kong-electoral-provisions-and-arrangements-1993 — Page 89

20-OCT-1993 16:49

DEPUTY IC'S OFFICE (GS)

CONFIDENTIAL

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3. DE-COUPLING OF 1994-95 ELECTRIONS

Line to take

+852 521 7058 P.06

p.a. Election's

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Talk of decoupling is a red herring. It would make no difference to the legislative time-table. It is the 1995 LegCo elections which determines the time-table. The simple fact is that we have only weeks in which to reach an agreement.

So

If pressed : primary legislation on Legco elections must be enacted by July 1994 (i.e. before LegCo summer recess) that the Boundary and Election Commission will have sufficient (and just sufficient!) time to submit recommendations on Legco constituency boundaries to the Governor before 31 Sept. 1994 as required by law. Working backwards, and given the time it will take to draft the legislation and get it passed by LegCo, it is evident that the decision point is only weeks away.

If the Chinese side were prepared to accept our proposals on the District Board and Municipal Council Elections (i.e. voting age, abolition of appointed seats and the voting arrangements for the geographical constituencies) this is certainly good news and we would look forward to hearing what they have to say at the next round of talks.

HUB 011/7

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IN

1373

STRY

REGISTRY Action Taker.

CONFIDENTIAL