GPS 800
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 665
OF 04074OZ MARCH 86
INFO IMPEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
HKKO!!!!
RECEIVED IN SHAISTRY
- 5 MAR 1986
INDEX
PA
tion Fadden
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : PESTRICTED : NCNA SPRING BANQUET
FOR UMELCO MEMBERS.
NCNA'S SPRING BANQUET FOR UMELCO MEMBERS LAST NIGHT WAS GIVEN
PROMINENT COVERAGE IN MANY LOCAL PAPERS TODAY. MOST PAPERS
HIGHLIGHTED SIR S.Y, CHUNG'S SPEECH AT THE BANQUET CALLING
FOR RESPECT FOR AND PECOGNITION OF THE STATUS OF UMELCO BY
PEKING AND HIS ASSERTION THAT REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
IMPORTANT PART OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
WAS AN
2. SIR S.Y. CHUNG MADE THE FOLLOWING MAIN POINTS IN HIS SPEECH:
(A) SEVERAL IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. THESE INCLUDE THE ENTRY INTO
LEGCO OF A LARGE NUMBER OF ELECTED LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS:
THAT THE UNOFFICIALS NOW FORM A MAJORITY OF LEGCO: AND THE
MOVING OF THE LEGCO CHAMBER AND UMELCO OFFICE TO THE HISTORIC
BUILDING AT STATUE SQUAPE. THESE WERE SIGNIFICANT STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
(B) ALTHOUGH THE DETAILED STRUCTURE OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT HAD YET TO BE DEFINED IN THE BASIC LAW, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD ALREADY COMMITTED ITSELF TO SOME IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES IN THE
JOINT DECLARATION. TWO OF THESE PRINCIPLES WERE:
THE LEGISLATURE OF THE HK SAR SHOULD BE CONSTITUTED BY ELECTION, AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE
LEGISLATURE. ALTHOUGH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MIGHT DIFFER IN NAME AND IN COMPOSITION FROM THE SAP'S LEGISLATURE, IT COULD NOT PE DENIED THAT LEGCO AND UMELCO WERE PART AND PARCEL OF THE CUPPENT STRUCTURE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WHICH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGPAPH 4 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, WOULD ACT ON BEHALF OF THE UK GOVERNMENT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG.
(C) (THANKING XU JIATUN FOR THE RECEPTION) THIS GESTURE OF MUTUAL PECOGNITION AND RESPECT WOULD CONTRIBUTE MUCH TO THE COMMON OBJECTIVE OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY. THUS, HE HOPED THAT THEPE WOULD FE FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET AND EXCHANGE VIEWS ON MATTERS OF MUTUAL CONCERN WITH VISITING CHINESE OFFICIALS.
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