TNAG-2712-FCO40-3918-Parliamentary-relations-draft-White-Paper-on-Representative--1993 — Page 21

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The ultimate aim of election of all members of the

Legislative Council by universal suffrage. Annex 2 of

the Basic Law allows for that in 2007. The British

side proposed that the Chinese authorities make clear

that they would support universal suffrage in 2007 if

that was the wish of the SAR.

Arrangements for selecting Chief Executives of the

SAR. The Basic Law lays down that there will be a

"Selection Committee" for the first Chief Executive

and an "Election Committee" for future Chief

Executives. The British side proposed that if the two sides reached agreement on the method of forming the

Election Committee which would elect ten members of

the Legislative Council in 1995, the Chinese side

would use the same model for the future Selection and

Election Committees for Chief Executives and that

these Committees would be selected by open elections.

25. The Chinese side spent the first three rounds insisting

that before discussion could move on to matters of substance,

it was necessary for the two sides to reach agreement on a

list of principles. They claimed that these reflected

earlier agreements and understandings. In fact, these

"principles" would have had the effect of prejudicing the subsequent discussion of substance. The 1990 Ministerial correspondence did not reach any agreement on arrangements

for the 1994-95 elections. The British side took the view

that in order to be productive, the talks should deal with

matters of substance.

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