Foreign governments should not make irresponsible remarks on the interpretation of the Basic Law annexes by China's top legislature, the Office of the Commissioner of China's Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong said Friday.

They should respect the right of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) to interpret the Basic Law, and treat the interpretation in a rational and objective way, said a spokeswoman for the commissioner's office in a statement.

She was responding to comments by US and British consuls general on the NPCSC move on Thursday.

After attending a forum at which three mainland officials explained the reasons behind the interpretation exercise, US Consul-General James Keith told reporters that Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa should soon inform Beijing of the public's aspiration for political change.

"It is regrettable that Beijing decided it was necessary to interpret the Basic Law," he said.

British Consul-General Stephen Bradley said that the NPCSC had already interpreted the law; and that the Hong Kong government should proceed with constitutional development.

"We are displeased with their inappropriate comments," said the spokeswoman.

She said that the NPCSC's right to interpret the mini-constitution is enshrined in the Constitution and the Basic Law.

"The interpretation is for the comprehensive and correct implementation of the Basic Law," she said.

Meanwhile, the three mainland officials -- NPCSC Deputy Secretary General Qiao Xiaoyang, its Legislative Affairs Commission Vice-Chairman Li Fei and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Deputy Director Xu Ze -- completed their three-day visit to Hong Kong and returned to Beijing Friday.

The visit aimed to exchange views and seek consensus with the local community on the interpretation of the Basic Law.

Before flying to Beijing, Xiaoyang told reporters: "We have achieved the goals (of the visit)."

They held three seminars with more than 650 representatives from local academic circles, the legal fraternity, the Legislative Council as well as other sectors of the community.

Qiao said earlier that participants at the seminars had reached a consensus that the NPCSC's interpretation was "necessary, fair and reasonable".

The three mainland officials also held a meeting with the SAR's principal officials on the interpretation.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang, who heads the Task Force on Constitutional Development, will submit a second report on political reform to Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa within a week.

(China Daily HK Edition April 10, 2004)