secure development of representative government, at a
pace and in a form which is consistent with China's plans
for the Basic Law for post-1997 Hong Kong. That is the
best way to ensure that the advances we have secured will
endure after the end of British administration.
outcome of the Hong Kong Government's review of
representative government in Hong Kong shows that
substantive numbers of people in the territory.
The
instinctively share this view: we do not believe that the
vociferous and articulate advocates of direct elections
in 1988 are representatives of the views of the community
as a whole.
We believe that the decisions to be announced in the
Hong Kong Government's White Paper on 10 February are a
fair response to public opinion in Hong Kong and to Hong
Kong's special circumstances. We can certainly deal with
any allegations of "broken promises" by HMG in this
regard: the accusations simply will not stick.