TNAG-2711-FCO40-3917-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 23

We made plain from the outset that the talks could not continue indefinitely and that it

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would be for the Legislative Council to consider and pass the necessary legislation. This will be a time consuming task. constitutional and electoral instruments in Hong Kong are affected and may need amendment. All the primary legislation

needs to be in place by July 1994. Some of the more urgent measures need to be on the statute book by February.

When time began to press, we therefore explored fully the possibility of an interim agreement, which would enable us to get on with legislation on the more urgent issues, and gain a little more time to resolve the

remainder.

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