I PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF CONSULTATION
Foreword
1. On 21 February 1989, the sixth session of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China examined and decided to publish the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Draft) (hereinafter referred to as the Basic Law (Draft)). It also announced that opinions on the Basic Law (Draft) would be extensively solicited in Hong Kong and other parts of the country. The Consultative Committee for the Basic Law (CCBL) was entrusted by the Drafting Committee for the Basic Law with the responsibility of launching a second round of comprehensive consultations on the Basic Law (Draft) in Hong Kong. (The first round of comprehensive consultations was launched between May and September 1988 on the Draft Basic Law for Solicitation of Opinions.)
Principles of Consultation
2. In order to carry out consultation on the Basic Law (Draft) effectively, the special groups of our Committee held meetings from 13 to 17 February to discuss the consultation on the Basic Law (Draft). A large number of opinions and suggestions were put forward on such issues as the scope of this consultation exercise, promotion activities, ways of collecting opinions, efforts to reach a compromise political model, the strengthening of the exchange of views between the drafters and CCBL members, the way in which the special groups should organize their discussions, and the way to bring the role of CCBL members into play. These views and suggestions were subsequently studied and summarized into five principles by the Executive Committee:
( 1 ) Comprehensive promotion; consultation with emphasis on special issues;
( 2 ) Taking the initiative, adopting an active approach, and ensuring that the consultations will have concrete results;
( 3 ) Taking last year's experience as reference but at the same time taking account of the characteristics and nature of this round of consultations
( 4 ) Emphasis on exchanging views with and canvassing support from the drafters; and
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