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Can I just add one other point. The Basic Law points the way, eventually, to the election by universal suffrage of the Chief Executive of the SAR of Hong Kong. And I'm sure that like most if not all members of this Legislative Council, I hope that that day comes sooner rather than later. I am democratic to the core of my being and feel very strongly that in any society the greatest legitimacy in credibility is provided through the process of election, and that goes for me as well as it goes for everyone else. Plainly, the business of election, the process of election, provides credibility and legitimacy in the way that appointment doesn't and can't.
In the shorter term there won't be election by universal suffrage but the process of election which is now being discussed by the Preparatory Committee will, we all hope, be as open and transparent and fair as possible. And I'm sure that the 14 members of this Council who arrived here by a process themselves which was transparent, open and fair, will ensure that those criteria are met in the selection of my fortunate successor.
The President: I should have ruled your question out of order for being hypothetical.
Mr Chan Kam-lam (In Chinese): Thank you Mr President. Mr Governor, a question: there were 17 rounds of talks between China and Britain and they failed, and the Chinese Government said that they would set up another stove. So, Mr Governor, at this point do you still attack this approach of a second stove?
Governor: First of all can I just make the point that if hypothetical questions were always ruled out of order in this Chamber, I'd have a much easier time. Which is no criticism, Mr President, of your own rulings but hypothetical questions are not unknown in this Chamber.
The President: There'd be less showtime then.
Governor: We might indeed have shorter question periods. We did have 17 rounds of discussions with Chinese officials in order to try to agree on arrangements for elections to this Council and, alas. we didn't succeed. I think that it is generally agreed, whatever people may think about the Chinese criticisms of our proposals, that the proposals themselves, in the event, were fair and open, commanded confidence here in Hong Kong, and produced a balanced and representative Legislative Council.