}
+HAD THERE BEEN MORE TIME AND HAD IT BEEN FEASIBLE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING, POSSIBLY A CONSENSUS NIGHT HAVE EMERGED WHICH MIGHT HAVE LED TO A LESS STARK RESOLUTION WHICH INCLUDED SOME OF THE RESERVATIONS MEMBERS FELT, BEING PASSED.
+ONE MUST RESPECT INDIVIDUALS VIEWS ON A SUBJECT AS COMPLEX AND TOUCHY SO, ALTHOUGH DISAPPOINTED, I AM NOT SURPRISED.+
HE ADDED THAT LACK OF TIME IS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THE PEOPLE OF HONGKONG HAVE TO COPE WITH IN ASSESSING THE WHITE PAPER.
ABOUT 50 BARRISTERS ATTENDED THE MEETING, BUT DOUBTS.OVER THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE AGREEMENT HERE NOT THE MAIN PROBLEM.
MR LITTON SAID MAJOR RESERVATIONS WERE ABOUT NATIONALITY, PARTICULARLY THE TRANSMITABILITY OF THE STATUS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENSHIP AND UNCERTAINTY OVER THE STATUS OF NON-CHINESE RESIDENTS.
THERE WERE ALSO WORRIES ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE BASIC LAW AND THE CHINESE CONSTITUTION.
MR LITTON SAID IT PROVED IMPOSSIBLE TO FORMULATE AN AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION INCLUDING THESE HORRIES, SO THE BAR WILL NOW NOT MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
BUT SONE INDIVIDUAL BARRISTERS HAVE ALREADY AIRED THEIR OPINIONS AND SENT THEIR VIENS TO THE OFFICE, HE SAID.
THE RESOLUTION PUT TO THE MEETING WAS +THAT PARLIAMENT SHOULD BE CALLED UPON TO VOTE IN FAVOUR OF RATIFICATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION INITIALLED IN PEKING.+