TNAG-1719-FCO40-2399-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 202

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overnment should continue to be evolutionary rather

than revolutionary; that each step should be carefully

considered; and that changes should command wide

support and confidence in the community.

26.

a

Such evolution must also be compatible with

smooth transfer of government in 1997. There will be

inevitable changes at that time. The interests of the

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 are already

familiar. In considering the development of Hong

Kong's system of representative government before 1997,

taken of the relevant

account

must

therefore

be

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

of the future Basic Law concerning the election

legislature include an element of direct elections.

Introduction of Direct Elections

27.

taken Having

account

of all the factors

considered above, the Government has concluded that the

introduction of a number of directly elected Members

1997 would be

into

a

before 1997 the Legislative Council before

logical and desirable further step in the development

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