TNAG-2731-FCO40-3937-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 184

25 January 1993

BY FAX

SECRET

HAB 012/1

RECI

27 JAN 1993

צי

***

Foreign &

Commonwealth

Office

London WIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-

W39

Mr Michael Sze

Secretary for Constitutional

Affairs

Hong Kong

Dear Michael,

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE

1.

We were very interested to read the memorandum discussed in

ExCo on 15 January setting out alternative models for the Election Committee, and the record of discussion in ExCo (your telno 73). I am pursuing separately the Governor's request for an FCO legal view on the one man one vote issue and will let you

have that soon.

2. Since ExCo will not be returning to the Election Committee issue until 2 February we have been giving the matter some thought here, to see whether we had any points which might be of use in your continuing discussions. A decision on whether the Governor's package should be amended before tabling in LegCo will in the first place have to be taken in the light of ExCo's advice. If the Governor decides to accept advice to change his proposals, it will then be necessary for the Secretary of State to consult OPD (K). At this stage we are offering simply an input

to your deliberations.

3.

The main arguments for putting the Governor's proposals forward to LegCo unamended on their essential points are that a major change would run the risk of losing liberal support and

ltr.sze22.jyl

SECRET