UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2669
OF 100755Z NOVEMBER 92
UNCLASSIFIED.
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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
94
95)
035331
MDLIAN 4047
TOP COPY
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MIPTA CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PROPOSALS BY THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONALS FEDERATION OF HONG KONG.
THE TEXT OF THE BPF'S POSITION PAPER AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS:
THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONALS FEDERATION OF HONG KONG (BPF) BELIEVES STRONGLY THAT A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997 AND CONVERGENCE WITH THE BASIC LAW IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. FAILURE TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION WILL HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE ECONOMY.
THE BPF RECOGNISES THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE COMMUNITY IN RELATION TO THE PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BASIC LAW. THE PRINCIPLES WHICH GUIDED THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW WERE ESTABLISHED OVER SEVERAL YEARS FROM THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS CONDUCTED IN HONG KONG BY THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING AND CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES AND OTHER BODIES. THE BASIC LAW IS THE CONSTITUTION THAT WILL GOVERN HONG KONG FOR TO YEARS AFTER 1997.
ALL CURRENT DEBATE IN HONG KONG REGARDING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BASIC LAW PROVISIONS AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION WHICH COULD AFFECT A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND CONVERGENCE MUST BE RESOLVED BY DIALOGUE AND CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS.
LINES:
WE BELIEVE THAT DISCUSSION SHOULD CONTINUE ON THE FOLLOWING
FIRSTLY, WITH REGARD TO THE ELECTION COMMITTEE TO ELECT TEN MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1995, THIS SHOULD PROCEED ON THE BASIS OF THE PRINCIPLES WHICH WERE SET FORTH IN THE EXCHANGE OF LETTERS BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF GREAT
BRITAIN AND CHINA.
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