(1)
PRESENT REFORMS WOULD BE THE OUTLINE OF THE BASIC LAW, IN OTHER WORDS THE REFORMS WOULD REPLACE THE DASIC LAW:
COMING EFFORTS AT REFORM WOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE COMPOSITION OF LEGCO, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LECCO AND EXCO, THE EVOLUTION OF THE REGIONAL AND URBAN COUNCILS AND DISTRICT BOARDS, WITH THE EMPHASIS ON THE FUTURE EVOLUTION OF LEGCO:
(111) THE NEXT STEP SHOULD BE TO TURN LEGCO FROM A PURELY CONSUL- TATIVE BODY TO A DECISION-MAKING BODY, AND POSSIBLY TO INTRODUCE A MINISTERIAL OR COMMITTEE SYSTEM.
THERE WAS NO MISTAKING THE AIM OF THESE STATEMENTS. IT WAS TO FINALISE THE OUTLINE OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE TO CONTINUE BEYONG 1997. BUT, AS WE WERE AWARE, THIS STRUCTURE COULD ONLY BE STIPULATED BY THE BASIC LAW. WORK ON DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW WAS IN PROGRESS. WERE HONG KONG OFFICIALS INTENDING TO CREATE CONFUSION IN HONG KONG IN MAKING THESE STATEMENTS?
(C) PRIOR TO THE PUBLICATION OF THE BASIC LAW THE TIME WAS, AT THE LEAST, NOT RIPE FOR EFFORTS TO CHANGE SO COMPREHENSIVELY THE EXISTING STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOTICED THAT OTHER SENIOR OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG HAD SAID THAT IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD THAT COULD NOT CONTINUE AFTER 1997. THE CHINESE SIDE APPRECIATED THESE REMARKS. THE CHINESE SIDE DID NOT WANT TO SEE THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE RESULTING FROM OUR REFORMS ON A DIFFERENT RAILWAY LINE FROM THE ONE LAID DOWN IN THE BASIC LAW, SO THAT THERE WAS NO CONVERGENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. IF THIS HAPPENED THE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES COULD BE IMAGINED. THE CHINESE SIDE THERE-
FORE SINCERELY HOPED THAT BEFORE THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT TAKE ANY MAJOR STEPS TO REFORM LEGCO AND EXCO. IF THE BRITISH SIDE DID SEE A NEED TO TAKE SUCH STEPS, THEY HAD TO CONSULT THE CHINESE IN ADVANCE. THIS SUGGESTION WAS MADE IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG AND THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS.
(D) KE CONCLUDED THAT AS LONG AS THE TWO SIDES WORKED TOGETHER REALISTICALLY, SENSIBLY AND IN FRIENDLY COOPERATION, IT WOULD NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT TO SOLVE MATTERS THROUGH THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND CONSULTATION AT THE JLG. HE NOTED THAT I HAD PUT SOME IDEAS TO ZHOU NAN LAST NIGHT ABOUT A POSSIBLE DIALOGUE. THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVED IT WAS IMPERATIVE TO STAPT CONSULTATIONS IN THE JLG NOW. AT THE SAME TIME, MAYBE ANOTHER FORM OF DIALOGUE COULD BE CONDUCTED OUTSIDE THE JLG, BUT NOW WAS
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