GRS 700
RESTRICTED
FM HONG KONG 290305Z JUL 35
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
RESTRICTED
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1547 OF 29 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
Горник отори
RECEIVE COPY
30 JUL 1985
„ISTRY
(73
MIPT : BASIC LAW
FOLLOWING IS TRANSLATION OF RELEVANT PART OF MISS LYDIA DUNN'S
QUOTE MEET THE MEDIA UNQUOTE SESSION ON 24 JULY:
BEGINS
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Q. ACCORDING TO THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS A CONSULTATIVE ORGAN OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE GOVERNMENT, WILL
THIS INHIBIT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM DISCUSSING THE BASIC LAW?
A. THE BASIC LAW IS A MATTER WITHIN THE RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, THE BASIC LAW IS RELATED TO THE FUTURE HK SAR POLICY, THEREFORE, HK PEOPLE ATTACH A GREAT DEAL OF
IMPORTANCE TO THE ISSUE, TOO. LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS, LIKE OTHER HK PEOPLE, WILL REFLECT THEIR VIEWS TO MEMBERS OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE, MEMBERS OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE AND
CHINESE LEADERS. THEIR VIEWS WILL CARRY THE SAME WEIGHT AS OTHER
HK PEOPLE'S.
Q. DO YOU THINK THAT DEBATE ON THE BASIC LAW AT THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL WOULD BREACH THE EXISTING LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL STANDING
ORDERS?
A. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WORKS FOR THE INTERESTS OF HK PEOPLE.
I THINK LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WILL EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE
BASIC LAW INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CHAMBER. THIS SHOULD NOT BE
INTERPRETED AS A BAD THING. IT IS A GOOD THING.
Q. WILL LEGCO MEMBERS EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS IN THEIR PRIVATE CAPACITY
OR AS LEGCO MEMBERS?
A. I THINK THEY CAN DO IT EITHER INDIVIDUALLY OR IN THE NAME OF
LEGCO. THE MAIN AIM IS TO REFLECT TO THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE AND
CHINESE LEADERS THE VIEWS OF HK PEOPLE ON THE CONTENTS OF THE
FUTURE BASIC LAW.
Q. WOULD THERE BE ANY CONFLICT WITH THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF
LEGCO MEMBERS?
A. THE AIM OF LEGCO MEMBERS IS TO WORK FOR THE WELL-BEING OF HK
PEOPLE. SO IF VARIOUS SECTROS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE VIEWS AND
RESTRICTED
WISHES
Taken
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