TNAG-2732-FCO40-3938-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 60

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THIS IS A COPY THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO.

27(1)

One possibility would be for members to make

clear their willingness to uphold the Basic Law in the oath to

be taken by members of the legislature.

12. The body which will, under the terms of the Basic Law,

prescribe the specific method for forming the first Government and the first Legislative Council of the SAR is the

Preparatory Committee, to be set up in 1996. 50% of its membership will come from Hong Kong. If the two sides can

reach an agreement on the electoral arrangements for 1994/95,

we believe the two sides should consult on the Hong Kong

membership of the Preparatory Committee, much as we consulted

you on the membership of the Airport Consultative Committee after China undertook to support the new airport. We believe this would be warmly welcomed in Hong Kong and would reflect a cooperative approach to the transition.

13. There is another point relating to the Legislative

Council on which we would like to seek clarification from the

Chinese side. Article 68 of the Basic Law lays down that the

ultimate aim is the election of all members of the Legislative

Council by universal suffrage. Annex II of the Basic Law would allow for this in 2007, providing two-thirds of the

members of the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive

agree to it. We hope that the Chinese side would be prepared

to make clear in an authoritative manner that it would support

openingstatement14.4

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