TNAG-2735-FCO40-3943-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 48

SECRET

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168.

We believe

strongly that it should be possible to

reach an agreement with the Chinese Government which is

fully compatible with the Joint

Joint Declaration, any other

agreements and the Basic Law, and which satisfies both our

But we now have only weeks

principles and Chinese concerns.

rather than months to conclude

then be

these talks. There will

great deal of work to do to ensure that orderly

elections can be held on time:

We must take the view of this Council, reflecting the

wider debate in the community.

We must set the law draftsmen to work on developing what

will be complex legislation.

We must leave time for full consideration of that

legislation by this Council.

And we must complete the

process by July 1994 at the

latest if we are to have time to complete all the

necessary follow-up action for the elections,

169.

Some have suggested that we should separate the

from the 1995 Municipal

1994 District Board elections

Council and LegCo elections.

affecting both

proposals

inter-related.

This would not work. The

sets of elections are

They need to be considered as a package in

The

the talks with China and then in this Council.

conclusion is clear. We have little time left in which to

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