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THIS DELAY MAY REFLECT UNCERTAINTY ON THE CHINESE SIDE, FACED AS
THEY ARE WITH DIVERGENT VIEWS AMONG HONG KONG OPINION. BUT THE
EFFECT, WHETHER DELIBERATE OR NOT, IS TO MAKE OUR OWN TASK MORE
DIFFICULT FOR THE REASONS ELABORATED BELOW.
7.
THE KEY DATES IN RESPECT OF THE DRAFTING OF THE SECTIONS
ON THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE HKSAR ARE AS FOLLOWS:
FEBRUARY AND
MEETINGS OF THE BLDC SPECIAL GROUP ON
POLITICAL STRUCTURE
MARCH 1987
APRIL 1987
AUGUST 1987
FOURTH BLDC PLENARY. NO DISCUSSION OF POLITICAL
STRUCTURE PLANNED.
FIFTH BDLC PLENARY. TO DISCUSS THE SPECIAL
GROUP'S FURTHER REPORT ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE.
THE REPORT MIGHT INCLUDE DRAFT ARTICLES ON LESS
CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS, BUT PERHAPS NO MORE THAN A
RANGE OF OPTIONS ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
DECEMBER 1987
1988
SIXTH BLDC PLENARY. TO DISCUSS IN DETAIL DRAFT
BASIC LAW PROVISIONS ON THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE.
THE SPECIAL GROUP MIGHT STILL NOT BE ABLE TO
MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE COMPOSITION
OF THE LEGISLATURE OR ON THE SELECTION OF THE
CHIEF EXECUTIVE, ALTHOUGH THE OPTIONS MAY BE
REFINED AND NARROWED DOWN.
PUBLICATION OF DRAFT BASIC LAW. IT IS POSSIBLE
THAT THE SECTION ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE COULD
STILL CONSIST OF NO MORE THAN A RANGE OF
OPTIONS.
THE PROBLEM OF TIMING
8.
THE ABOVE TIMETABLES SHOW THAT WORK ON THE DRAFTING OF
THE BASIC LAW PROVISIONS ON POLITICAL STRUCTURE WILL PROBABLY NOT
BE CONCLUDED BY THE TIME THE WHITE PAPER IS DUE TO BE PUBLISHED
IN DECEMBER. IN ANY EVENT DRAFTING OF THE WHITE PAPER WOULD HAVE
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