CONCE
In the event, the five principles were not fully reflected in the final version of the Basic Law.
Moreover, the final version makes clear that the Election Committee of the first SAR legislature would explicitly not be the Election Committee for 1999 whose composition was set out in Annex I of the Basic Law.
The Basic Law gives no indication of what its composition should be.
A number of events since the publication of the Basic Law confirm that the chinese side still undecided as to their views on the composition of the Election Committee for the first SAR legislature. Visits by Legislative Councillors to Peking have included discussions on this issue with Chinese officials.
So it remains the case that the composition of the Election Committee for the first SAR legislature is one of the issues not spelt out in the Basic Law.
It was therefore necessary for the Governor to put forward proposals for discussion. He has done so. If others are not happy, it is up to them to put forward alternative proposals that are equally consistent with the five principles agreed with the Chinese side.
CONFIDENTIAL
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