CONFIDENTIAL
2286
2
679 SUBMISSIONS FROM ORGANISATIONS, AND 1815 FROM INDIVIDUALS. IT TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE RESULTS OF 23 OPINION SURVYES OF VARYING SIZES, AND 273 REPORTS OF DISCUSSIONS, DEBATES, SEMINARS, PUBLIC SPEECHES AND INTERVIEWS, AS WELL AS A VAST RANGE OF COMMENT IN THE MEDIA. THE REPORT NOTES THAT THE REACTION TO THE INVITATION TO COMMENT WAS MUCH GREATER THAN IN PREVIOUS COMPARABLE EXERCISES IN HONG KONG, AND THAT THE VIEWS RECEIVED FROM A WIDE CROSS-SECTION OF THE COMMUNITY PROVIDED A CREDIBLE BASIS ON WHICH
TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT.
4.
THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE'S JUDGEMENT IS THAT 'AFTER THE MOST CAREFUL ANALYSIS AND CONSULTATION OF ALL THE INFORMATION RECEIVED, THE OFFICE HAS CONCLUDED THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FIND THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE.' THE AGREEMENT WAS ENDORSED BY ALL THE PRINCIPAL REPRESENTATIVE BODIES IN HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND URBAN COUNCILS, THE HEUNG YEE KUK AND ALL EIGHTEEN DISTRICT BOARDS. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF ORGANISATIONS AND GROUPS WHICH EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS FOUND THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE. OF THE JUST OVER 1,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO CLEARLY STATED THEIR VIEWS 677 ACCEPTED THE AGREEMENT AND 364 REJECTED IT. THE OVERALL PICTURE FROM REPORTS
BY AND THROUGH THE MEDIA WAS ONE OF GENERAL ACCEPTANCE. THE
FINDINGS OF VARIOUS INDEPENDENT OPINION SURVEYS ALSO INDICATED
GENERAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGREEMENT. IN AN INDEPENDENT SURVEY OF 6,124 RESPONDENTS 81 PER CENT STATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THE AGREEMENT
WAS VERY GOOD OR QUITE GOOD.
5.
THE REPORT NOTES THAT THE OVERALL ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGREEMENT
HAS IN MANY CASES BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN AND
ANXIETY ABOUT ITS IMPLEMENTATION. IT SUMMARISES THE COMMENTS
MADE ON EVERY ASPECT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION BY THOSE WHO HAVE
DISCUSSED IT. THE COMMENTS FOCUSSED IN PARTICULAR ON THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, THE QUESTION OF NATIONALITY AND DEFENCE. THE REPORT SUGGESTS THAT THESE VIEWS WILL BE OF VALUE
TO PARLIAMENT, AND ALSO IN THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND
CHINA IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
AGREEMENT.
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT MONITORING TEAM
2
CONFIDENTIAL