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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER
FOI EXEMPTION NO... 27α)
10 SERVE ON DR DE SA ON
10. I would in this respect like to draw your attention to
one of the papers which we handed to you on 6 February 1990.
In that paper we stated that:
"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 Government's can reach an understanding on satisfactory arrangements for such elections."
For the British side it is of cardinal importance, if we are
to reach an understanding, that we have an assurance of a proper through train in which all the Legislative Council passengers who board in 1995 can make the full journey through to 1999. We regard it as very important that the Chinese side can give a public assurance that any member of the 1995 Legislative Council who in 1997 pledges to uphold the Basic Law thereby meets the requirement of the Basic Law for service
in the first Legislative Council of the SAR in 1997. It would
be very hard for us to recommend any arrangements to the Legislative Council if there was not agreement on this point. Because if there is not, there would be no guarantee of a through train. In that case, Hong Kong people would rightly
take the view that the talks had not ensured a smooth
transition.
11.
We do not consider that it will be difficult for the
Chinese side to give us this assurance.
openingstatement14.4
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