TNAG-2730-FCO40-3936-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 37

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p.a. Constit scurt

044635 MDADAN 8076

MMB azl

TRY

SECRET

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 51

OF 121107Z JANUARY 93

RECL

ADVANCE COPY992

ING..

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

Secret

PART ONE OF TWO PARTS:

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: EXCO, 12 JANUARY.

SUMMARY

1. AGREEMENT TO PUBLISH THE COMPENDIUM OF ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS NEXT WEEK (I.E. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE CHINESE NEW YEAR).

2.

AGREEMENT ON THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION BILL, WITH ONE CHANGE TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE HIGH COURT JUDGE MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION WILL BE ITS CHAIRMAN. BILL TO BE GAZETTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

3=

FURTHER MEETING OF EXCO TO BE HELD ON 15 JANUARY TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION OF ONE MAN ONE VOTE, TO HAVE SUCH DISCUSSION AS MEMBERS WANT ON FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, AND TO CONSIDER POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS FOR AN ELECTION COMMITTEE. NO INCLINATION APPARENT FROM TODAY'S DISCUSSION TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE PROPOSALS ON FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. MORE INCLINATION ALTHOUGH NO UNANIMITY TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ELECTION COMMISSION.

4.

AGREEMENT THAT IN PUBLIC MEMBERS WILL STICK TO THE LINE THAT DETAILED DISCUSSION HAVE BEGUN ON THE PROPOSALS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS, THAT EXCO HAS AGREED THE BILL ON THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION, AND THAT IT HAS DECIDED TO PUBLISH A COMPENDIUM OF ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD.

DETAIL

5. ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL EXCEPT PROFESSOR LIEH MAK WERE PRESENT ON 12 JANUARY.

6.

I SAID THAT EXCO MUST HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS IT NEEDED TO REACH CONCLUSIONS ON THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS WHICH WOULD BE PUT TO LEGCO. I WAS NOT CONSTITUTIONALLY BOUND TO ACCEPT EXCO'S

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