PRESSURE is mounting on China to stipulate a set of clear guidelines for legislators to ride the through train to the 1997 legislature.
The call came from legislators who want China to set out its requirements for boarding the through train when the issue is raised between Beijing and London at Sino-British talks on Thursday.
A majority of members, representing the major political factions in the Legislative Council, told the South China Morning Post that they would like the guidelines to be clear and simple. China should not settle old political scores in deciding who keep their seats in the post-1997 legislature, they said.
The legislators joined earlier calls by British officials including the Governor, Mr Chris Patten, for Beijing to disclose at the talks its criteria, if any, for screening candidates.
The pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hongkong is to call on China to draw up ''clear and predictable'' criteria and the alliance will set out its own guidelines today.
Although most legislators acknowledge the legitimacy of the future Special Administrative Region (SAR) Preparatory Committee in confirming legislators' rights to a seat, they stressed that it must not be used as a means to oust ''unwelcome'' politicians.
Under the Basic Law, members elected to Legco in 1995 who uphold the mini-constitution and pledge allegiance to the SAR government may, ''upon confirmation by the Preparatory Committee'', become members of the first post-1997 legislature.