SEP 09 '86 16:01 TIBCOOU) HK GOVT
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problem of maintaining Hongkong people's confidence and its prestige
at the same time is to be solved is exactly what has been bothering
China.
P.4
Hongkong Government however is not inexperienced in handling
such problems of 'public opinion'. It has had a formula of its own since long time ago to deal with the problem. There is another problem
that is worrying the Hongkong Government, and it Martin Lee's demand for
a special Legco meeting and some government confidential papers for
The worries that the Hongkong Government has made known are:
information.
*
1. A special meeting to demand members of the
2.
Legislative Council to declare their positions would
cause a split, and as a result it would be difficult
to maintain the system of the government that
operates on the basis of consensus.
If it is felt that a decision of the Executive
Council can be queried by the Legislative Council
and even a contract that has been agreed upon cân
be retracted, Hongkong's prestige will be adversely
affected when it negotiates with other places. This
is most disadvantageous to Hongkong.
Has Hongkong Government become a lame duck
The 'constitution
This is but the surface of the matter.
crisis' which the Financial Secretary has mentioned does not exist.
Everyone knows that constitutionally, the Legislative Council has no
right to reverse a decision the Executive Council. If the majority of
members of the Legislative Council express opposition and the Executive
Council considers it is necessary to change its earlier decision for
public interest after reconsideration, it is also a decision of the
Executive Council itself. Politically, the people of hongkong would
not have any feeling that the government is unstable.
/....