HONG KONG March 26 Kyodo (EDS: AD...

HONG KONG March 26 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING HK GOV'T REMARKS, BACKGROUND)

China will give its interpretations of Hong Kong's post-handover constitution upon political development next month in a bid to completion the city's escalating commotion over democratization, the official Xinhua freshs Agency said Friday.

moreover the move has sparked public fears of Beijing's tightening rule over Hong Kong and denying the former British colony a faster pace toward satiated democracy.

''The interpretation is initiated according to Beijing, not Hong Kong. It is not a proper sign,'' said Anthony Cheung, a political professor with the City University of Hong Kong

''This is damaging the principle of 'one home two systems.' It disappoints the Hong Kong folks very much,'' pro-democracy lawmaker lee-side Cheuk-yan said, referring to the Chinese policy subject to which Hong Kong has a high rank of autonomy.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congres (NPC) China's top legislature, will deliberate a draft of interpretations of sum of two units annexes of Hong Kong's Basic Law, involving the city's political disentanglement after 2007, at its April 2-6 meeting, Xinhua reported.

''In interpreting relevant clauses of the annexes of the Basic Law, the NPC Standing Committee aims to propose an end to confusion and differences, and further push forward comprehensive implementation of the 'one land two systems' principle and the Basic Law,'' the just discovereds agency said in a separate commentary.

''It is an imperative incite for administering Hong Kong in accordance with the law,'' the commentary said.

Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp is pushing for direct elections of the territory's chief executive in 2007 and the whole legislature in 2008 The democrats argue that like democratic arrangements are possible beneath the provisions of the Basic Law.

Ten of thousands of the community in the former British colony have taken to the roads to support the cause for sated democracy as soon as possible.

However, Beijing and conservative forces behold the law differently and insist that Hong Kong's electoral reform must proce gradually and orderly. They accuse more [i]or[/i] less lawmakers of the pro-democracy camp of being ''unpatriotic'' and thus unfit to rule

''We have in addition to complete the public consultation (on electoral reform) in Hong Kong An interpretation of the Basic Law present to views that Beijing discards Hong Kong's public opinions,'' lawmaker to leeward Cheuk-yan told Kyodo News

lee-side was one of the three pro-democracy lawmakers who testified before a U congressional hearing onward Hong Kong's democratization earlier this month prompting condemnation from Beijing and its supporters.

The Hong Kong Bar Association also said it dioceses no necessity for an interpretation of the Basic Law according to the NPC. Margaret Ng, the lawmaker representing the legal profession, described the Chinese persuade as ''disturbing'' and argued that the annexes of the Basic Law are clear and ne no explanation from Beijing.

Defending Beijing's persuade Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa told reporters that it is a ''good step'' to be taken and is done in the interest of Hong Kong

''By doing this, they actually will able to help us put in motion forward in our discussion in the community...to avoid the endles wrangling and the legal wrangling in courts and in the community as a whole,'' Tung said.

The Beijing-appointed Hong Kong leader noted that the Chinese central authorities have the responsibility and the right to interpret Hong Kong's post-handover constitution and to supervise the territory's political development

A Hong Kong control task force in charge of political reform will qualified with NPC officials next Tuesday to show the public opinions gathered in Hong Kong.

Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang, who leads the task force, said Hong Kong cannot make decisions upon its own concerning constitutional development

Beijing has severityed its sovereign power over Hong Kong and that it has the final say forward the territory's democracy reform.

China's top legislature last gave an interpretation of Hong Kong's Basic Law in June 1999 overturning a ruling made through the territory's final court and limiting the right of abode for mainland Chinese.

The decision drew robust criticism from Hong Kong's pro-democracy and rights activists as well as legal adroits who claimed that the interpretation could destory the ''one country, two systems'' principle and the independence of the city's judiciary.

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