TNAG-1717-FCO40-2397-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 40

G.F. 316

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government should continue

than revolutionary:

to

be evolutionary rather

that each step should be carefully

considered; and that changes should command wide

support and confidence in the community.

26.

Such evolution must also be compatible with a

smooth transfer of government in 1997. There will be

The interests of the inevitable changes at that time.

community will be best served if there is also a high

degree of continuity and the form of government is one

with

which

the people of Hong Kong

familiar. In considering the development of

are

already

Hong

Kong's system of representative government before 1997,

account

must

therefore be taken of

the

relevant

stipulations of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and

the deliberations of the Basic Law Drafting Committee

over how those provisions should be implemented after

1997. In this connexion, the Government has taken note

of the fact that all the options in the latest draft of

the Basic Law concerning the election of

legislature include an element of direct elections.

the future

Introduction of Direct Elections

27.

Having

taken

account

of all

the

factors

considered above, the Government has concluded that the

1997 would be a

introduction of a number of directly elected Members

into the Legislative Council before

logical and desirable further step in the development

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