UNCLASSIFIED
10 34
MDLIAN 4838
ARTICLE ON TRANSITION
34. AN ARTICLE IN THE MAY ISSUE OF THE CONTEMPORARY MAGAZINE NOTED A MEETING ATTENDED BY HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS EXPERTS FROM ALL OVER CHINA WAS HELD IN EARLY APRIL. AN IMPORTANT DECISION REACHED AT THE MEETING WAS THAT THESE EXPERTS WOULD FORM A GROUP UNDER THE HKMAO TO STUDY WAYS TO ENSURE THE PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF HK AND MACAU. THE GROUP TO BE LED BY JI PENGFEI, INCLUDED MANY HK AND MACAU PEOPLE. THE STUDY GROUP WAS TASKED TO (1) WORK OUT THE STRUCTURE AND PRELIMINARY PREPARATORY WORK OF THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE: (2) WORK OUT THE ROLE AND OPERATIONS OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE: (3) ASSESS BRITAIN'S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC POLICIES TOWARDS HK IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS: (4) IDENTIFY WAYS TO MINIMISE UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS RESULTING FROM BRITAIN'S WITHDRAWAL.
LIBERAL PARTY
35. THE LIBERAL PARTY PREPARATORY COMMITTEE'S PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE PARTY'S MANIFESTO WAS WIDELY COVERED (18.5). MOST PAPERS NOTED THE COMMITTEE ADVOCATED A MINISTERIAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT AND A WHOLLY DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE BY 2007 OR EARLIER. THE SCMP NOTED THE PARTY WAS HK'S FIRST CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL PARTY REPRESENTING LARGELY BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS.
PATTEN
YYYY
MAIN
.HK POLICY
65
DISTRIBUTION
72
NTCD
HKD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS
LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES MR HUM
ADDITIONAL
7
PAGE
4
UNCLASSIFIED