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CONFIDENTIAL
(C) MR. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN : LESS THAN 3 YEARS TO PREPARE FOR NEXT ROUND OF WIDER REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT. RELIEVES HK WILL BE ABLE TO COPE WITH THE RAPID CHANGES TOWARDS A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY
THAT WILL TAKE PLACE. HOWEVER OUR PROGRESS TOWARDS POLITICAL REFORMS NEEDS TO BE PACED RIGHT: WE MUST AVOID ECONOMIC CHAOS AT ALL COSTS. SHOULD MOVE PRAGMATICALLY FORWARD IN PUILDING UP OUR OWN STYLE OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT FOR 1997. BELIEVES IT IS IN HK 'S LONG-TERM INTEREST TO HAVE A BALANCED PROPORTION OF INDIRECTLY AND DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO SEATS BY THE 1988 ELECTIONS. LEGCO MEMBERS SHOULD PERSUADE BLDC MEMBERS TO ACCEPT THE PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT ELECTION FOR A PROPORTION OF SEATS IN LEGCO.
(D) MR. HỌ SAI CHU : WELCOMES FACT THAT BOTH BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAVE PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO CONSULT EXTENSIVELY WITH PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. URGES ALL WHO HAVE VIEWS ON BASIC LAW DRAFTING TO EXPRESS THEM. POLITICAL REFORMS DURING TRANSITIONAL PERIOD SHOULD BE INTRODUCED CAUTIOUSLY AND LINKED TO BASIC LAW.
(E) MARTIN LEE : ARGUES THAT JOINT DECLARATION ENVISAGES CHANGE IN POLITICAL SYSTEM. FAIR NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WILLING TO MAKE ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS CONCEPT WORK, BUT ARE LOOKING FOR SAFEGUARDS AGAINST CHINESE INTERFERENCE. NO BETTER SAFEGUARD THAN SYSTEM WHERE THOSE IN POWER ARE PUT THERE BY PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. MOST NATURAL AND LOGICAL SECOND STEP, WITHIN CONSTRAINTS OF JD, IS TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. STRENGTH OF OUR ECONOMY CAN ONLY BE MAINTAINED IF HONG KONG PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS'' CAN WORK. NEED FOR STRONG AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG TO WITHSTAND CHINESE INTERFERENCE, BECAUSE UNREALISTIC TO HOPE CHINA WILL NOT ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE. HOWEVER, SINCE IT IS DESIRABLE TO CARRY OUT POLITICAL REFORMS GRADUALLY, SUGGESTS ONLY 25 PERCENT OF LEGCO SEATS BE DIRECTLY ELECTED IN 1988. BUT MUST BE RECOGNISED THAT ONLY HONG KONG PEOPLE CAN TELL US WHAT TO DO.
(F) MR. LEE YU-TAI C HOPES THERE WILL BE MORE DIPECT ELECTORAL SYSTEM. AGREES THAT GRADUAL APPROACH MUST BE ADOPTED, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN A STANDSTILL.
(G) MR. HELMUT SOHMEN: REGRETS THAT HONG KONG ALREADY IN MIDST OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ARGUMENTS ABOUT SPEED AND SCOPE OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ITS INTERRELATIONSHIP WITH BASIC LAW. GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY SHOULD NOT BE UNDERMINED BY DISSENSION. GRADUALISM IN THE BUSINESS CONTEXT ALWAYS PREFERABLE TO SUDDEN
CHANGE.
/(H)
COMERENTIAL