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IT WAS SAID EARLIER THIS YEAR, IT WAS I BELIEVE MADE QUITE CLEAR THAT THE POSITION OF EXCO AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF EXCO TO LEGCO WOULD NOT BE FURTHER DISCUSSED AT THIS STAGE. TWO REASONS REALLY FOR THAT; ONE IS, WE HAVE ONLY JUST GONE THROUGH A MAJOR CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM. AS I SAID EARLIER WE HAVE ONLY JUST HAD OVER 1-1/2 YEARS OF FOR THE FIRST TIME HAVING AN INDIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT IN LEGCO. SO THAT WAS QUITE A CONSIDERABLE CHANGE. THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO FOLLOW A STEP BY STEP AND GRADUAL APPROACH, SO THAT THE GOVERNMENT FEELS IT IS RIGHT NOW TO CONSIDER ONLY FURTHER INCREMENTAL CHANGES, NOT SOMETHING WHICH MIGHT HAVE MAJOR CONSITUTIONAL IMPLICATIONS, LIKE HOW YOU FORM EXCO AND HOW YOU MIGHT CHANGE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO. THOSE ARE THINGS WHICH WOULD GO MUCH FURTHER IN CONSTITUTIONAL TERMS.
Q: FUNG YUK-LIN (RTHK), SIR, YOU STRESSED MANY TIMES ON THE CONVERGENCE BUT THE BASIC LAW WILL NOT BE READY UNTIL 1988.
WILL
IT CONFINE THE SCOPE OF REVIEW THIS YEAR? WILL THERE BE FURTHER REVIEWS BEFORE 1997?
A: SORRY, I DIDN'T GET CLEAR THE MIDDLE PART OF THAT QUESTION.
Q1
FUNG YUK-LIN (RTHK), THE POINT IS THE BASIC LAW WILL NOT BE READY UNTIL NEXT YEAR AND THE POLITCAL REVIEW IS ONGOING NOW. WILL THE BASIC LAW CONFINE THE SCOPE OF THE REVIEW THIS YEAR. CAN WE WAIT UNTIL THE BASIC LAW COMES OUT?
A: THE BASIC LAW IS CLEARLY ONE OF THE FACTORS WHICH PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WILL WISH TO HAVE IN THE IR MINDS WHEN THEY LOOK AT THIS GREEN PAPER. IT IS ONE OF THE FACTS OF LIFE WHICH PEOPLE WILL WANT TO BE AWARE OF.
AS I HAVE SAID SEVERAL TIMES, IT IS FOR THE BASIC LAW TO DEFINE PRECISELY HOW THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE FORMED IN 1997, THAT IS A FACT OF LIFE. BUT WHAT WE ARE DOING AT THE MOMENT IS CARRYING OUT A CONSULTATION ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE CERTAIN CHANGES IN THE WAY YOU ELECT THE LEGISLATURE. THAT IS NOT WAITING UNTIL THE BASIC LAW COMES OUT. IT WAS A REVIEW WHICH WAS PROMISED FOR 1987 AND THEREFORE IT HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT IN 1987.
Q:
FUNG YUK-LIN (RTHK), WAS THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THIS REVIEW?
/A: WHAT I