TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 372

12

UNCLASSIFIED

160

MDLIAN 6810,

TIME CAME, THE CHINESE WOULD FORM THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, THE FIRST GOVERNMENT AND THE FIRST JUDICIAL ORGANISATIONS OF THE SAR. MS LEONG SAID REPORTS SUCH AS THIS, MADE FIVE YEARS IN ADVANCE OF THE SAR, CAST A SHADOW OVER THE FUTURE OF THE CONTINUITY OF THE PRESENT JUDICIARY AND JEOPARDISED THE PROSPECTS OF ITS LOCALISATION AND OF ITS HAVING THE BEST AND MOST SUITABLE PEOPLE SERVING BEYOND 1997.

SURVEY

16. A SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY THE EAST WEEK MAGAZINE WAS CONDUCTED ON 29 AND 29 DECEMBER 1992 AND COVERED 645 RESPONDENTS. RESULTS SHOWED (8.1) M ORE THAN 60 PERCENT SUPPORTED THE INCREASE OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS ON DBS AND THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AND EXPANSION OF THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES TO COVER THE WHOLE OF THE WORKING POPULATION. HOWEVER, VIEWS WERE DIVIDED ON THE LOWERING OF THE VOTING AGE TO 18 AND THE COMPLETE ABOLITION OF THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM IN DBS AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS. THE SAME SURVEY SHOWED 15 PERCENT INDICATED THEY UNDERSTOOD THE POLITICAL REFORM PROPOSALS: ABOUT 30 PERCENT SAID THEY HAD A GENERAL UNDERSTANDING WHILE THE REMAINING 55 PERCENT INDICATED THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THEM.

PATTEN

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

64

DISTRIBUTION

65

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT

./MS BROOKS AND MR GILES NEWS D

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

1

HO//B4DIV MR C KELLEY