TNAG-2732-FCO40-3938-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 59

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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO... 27α)

10 SERVE ON DR DE SA ON

10. I would in this respect like to draw your attention to

one of the papers which we handed to you on 6 February 1990.

In that paper we stated that:

"The British Government's view is that one of the best

ways of ensuring a smooth transfer of government in 1997 would be to provide that all members elected to the Legislative Council in 1995 should be able to continue

in office until 1999. To this end we would be willing in principle to cooperate with the Chinese Government

and introduce the Election Committee method of election

to the legislature in 1995, providing that our two Government's can reach an understanding on satisfactory arrangements for such elections."

For the British side it is of cardinal importance, if we are

to reach an understanding, that we have an assurance of a proper through train in which all the Legislative Council passengers who board in 1995 can make the full journey through to 1999. We regard it as very important that the Chinese side can give a public assurance that any member of the 1995 Legislative Council who in 1997 pledges to uphold the Basic Law thereby meets the requirement of the Basic Law for service

in the first Legislative Council of the SAR in 1997. It would

be very hard for us to recommend any arrangements to the Legislative Council if there was not agreement on this point. Because if there is not, there would be no guarantee of a through train. In that case, Hong Kong people would rightly

take the view that the talks had not ensured a smooth

transition.

11.

We do not consider that it will be difficult for the

Chinese side to give us this assurance.

openingstatement14.4

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