TNAG-2990-FCO40-3574-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-talks-betwee-1992 — Page 118

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CONFIDENTIAL

Notes Handed Over to the Chinese Goverment

Grand Electoral College/Election Committee

During

their

with the Governor of

(6.2.90)

meeting in Peking on 11 January 1990 Hong Kong, Mr Li Hou and Mr Lu Ping outlined the Chinese Government's thinking on the drafting

of those sections of the Basic Law which deal with the

political structure of the future Hong Kong Special

Administrative Region. They said that the BLDC special group on the political system had adopted the proposal that

proportion of the SAR legislature should be elected by a Grand Electoral College (GEC) or Election Committee. They

said such a method would enable some people Of high

standing in Hong Kong, who would not wish to stand in direct elections, to play their part in the legislature through election by such a body. They also suggested that some members of the Legislative Council could be elected by this method in 1995 following consultations between the two sides on the formation and election procedures of the

The British Government are grateful

Election Committee.

for this explanation of Chinese thinking.

2.

The British Government's view is that one of the

best ways of ensuring a smooth transfer of government in 1997 would be to provide that all members elected to the

Legislative Council in 1995 should be able to continue in office until 1999. To this end we would be willing in

principle to cooperate with the Chinese Government and

introduce the Election Committee method of election to the

legislature in 1995, providing that our two governments can an understanding on satisfactory arrangements for

reach

such elections.

3.

The main aspects on which we believe agreement

would be necessary are :-

CONFIDENTIAL