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MOHIAN 0157
(II) A COMMITTEE BASED ON OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS AND DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERSHIP
7.
WHILE THE MOST DEMOCRATIC MODEL IS OPTION (II) THIS ALMOST CERTAINLY WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO CHINA. PROBABLY THE BEST BET IS OPTION (I) ALTHOUGH THIS TOO IS LIABLE TO BE STRONGLY RESISTED BY CHINA IF THE NINE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES HAVE ELECTORATES THAT ARE WIDER THAN IN THE TRADITIONAL MODEL. THE COUNTER ARGUMENT IS THAT THIS OPTION IS STRUCTURALLY WHOLLY CONSISTENT WITH THE CHINESE INTERPRETATION OF THE BASIC LAW. IN SHORT, WE SHOULD NOT DELUDE OURSELVES THAT THIS WILL BE AN EASY AREA IN WHICH TO SECURE AGREEMENT. THE KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OURSELVES AND CHINA IS THAT THEY WISH TO RIG THE ELECTION METHOD FOR THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND WE WISH TO KEEP IT CLEAN AND STRAIGHTFORWARD AS POSSIBLE.
8.
ON THE OTHER SIDE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO GO BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WITH A LESS DEMOCRATIC PACKAGE UNLESS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXTRACT FROM THE CHINESE SOMETHING IN RETURN AS WELL AS THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE PACKAGE. THAT IS WHY IN TELNO 228 WE PROPOSED THAT THE FOLLOWING BE INCLUDED IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE HOPE TO ACHIEVE ON THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE ITSELF:
(I) THAT THE REQUIREMENT THAT MEMBERS OF THE 1995 LEGCO MUST 'UPHOLD THE BASIC LAW' IF THEY ARE TO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE FIRST SARG LEGCO SHOULD MEAN SIMPLY THAT THEY MUST PLEDGE TO UPHOLD THE BASIC LAW. THE REQUIREMENT TO UPHOLD IT SHOULD NOT INVOLVE A JUDGEMENT BY THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE ON WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL DOES SO.
(II) THAT THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR SUBSEQUENT CHIEF EXECUTIVES SHOULD BE MODELLED ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE
1995 LEGCO.
(III) THAT THE CHINESE SHOULD PUBLICLY REAFFIRM THEIR WILLINGNESS TO SEE UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IN 2007, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW, IF THAT IS WHAT HONG KONG WANTS.
(IV) WE MIGHT ALSO ASK THAT AT LEAST THE HONG KONG CONTINGENT OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE SHOULD BE AGREED WITH US, SINCE THIS IS THE BODY CHARGED WITH OVERSEEING A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN BOTH LEGCO AND THE ADMINISTRATION.