CONFIDENTIAL
OF HONG KONG'S CONCERN. CHINA'S EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO SOLICIT OPINIONS FROM A WIDE BASIS WITHIN HONG KONG WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED. IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF CONFIDENCE. THE BASIC LAW MUST BE SUITED TO THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HAD MUCH EXPERTISE TO OFFER. IT SHOULD ALSO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE HONG KONG LEGAL SYSTEM. THE BASIC LAW MUST BE RIGHT. THIS WAS IMPORTANT FOR A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT
IN 1997.
11. ZHAO SAID THAT CHINA WOULD TRY TO EXPEDITE THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW. THE PROCESS WOULD TAKE SOME TIME BUT HE EXPECTED THE LAW TO BE PROMULGATED NO LATER THAN 1990. AFTER THE NPC HAD APPROVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAR IT WOULD SET UP A DRAFTING COMMITTEE. THIS WOUL START AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THEREAFTER.
ITS COMPOSITION AND WORKING PROCEDURES WOULD BE A MATTER FOR THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NPC. HOWEVER, IN THE COURSE OF DRAFTING, HONG KONG VIEWS WOULD BE SOLICITED ON A WIDE BASIS.
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
12. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT ZHAO WOULD BE AWARE OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS. WE WERE KEEN TO GIVE HONG KONG PEOPLE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE. DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE STEADY AND SECURE AND WOULD INVOLVE CLOSE CONSULTATION WITH
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
13. ZHAO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, FORM OF LEGISLATURE OF THE SAR AND METHOD OF SELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WOULD BE DEFINED BY THE BASIC LAW. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WERE NOT PREPARED TO MAKE ANY COMMENT ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD. IN PRINCIPLE, THEY TOO WANTED MORE HONG KONG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION. HOWEVER, CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OR THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997. HE WAS SURE HMG WOULD
TAKE THIS FULLY INTO ACCOUNT.
14. THE PRIME MINISTER THEN MADE THREE POINTS:
(A) SHE APPRECIATED ZHAO'S REASSURANCE ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE AGREEMENT. SHE WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT HIS REMARKS PUBLICLY IN
HONG KONG. ZHAO SAID HE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF SHE DID SO.
CONFIDENTIAL
/(B)
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