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SIR GEOFFREY COULD DISAGREE WITH OUR ANALYSIS AND VIEWS, BUT HE SHOULD NOT SAY THAT WE ''HAVE NOT'' OR
PROVIDE THE ''CANNOT ' EVIDENCE. IN FACT, IT WAS STATED ON THE FIRST PAGE OF OUR POSITION PAPER THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT COULD PLAY AROUND WITH WORDS TECHNICALLY BY SAYING THAT THERE HAD NEITHER BEEN ANY WRITTEN STIPULATION NOR DIRECT PROMISE THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD BE INTRODUCED IN HONG KONG IN 1988. BUT TAKING A GENERAL LOOK AT THE STATEMENTS BY OFFICIALS FROM THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE SUCH AS SIR GEOFFREY AND MR. RICHARD LUCE BEFORE AND AFTER THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION: COMMENTS BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS THATCHER, AND HER ANSWERS IN PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES: THE GREEN PAPER, WHITE PAPER AND THE REPORTS OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE (ON THE DRAFT SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT) ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT: THE UNDERTAKING BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO ''ESTABLISH BEFORE 1997 A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT FIRMLY ROOTED IN HONG KONG, AND TO DEVELOP DIRECT ELECTIONS ''IMMEDIATELY'' AND PROGRESSIVELY AFTER 1984'' BECAME CRYSTAL CLEAR. THE INTENTION OF INTRODUCTING PARTIAL DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 WAS ALSO VERY CLEAR.
WE THINK THAT IT WAS A PROMISE BY CLEAR IMPLICATION. IN FACT, BETWEEN 1984 AND 1987, DID THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OR THE BRITISH
AND ASK THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT EVERY CLARIFY OR EXPLAIN THINGS, PEOPLE NOT TO EXPECT TO HAVE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988? BUT NOW IT
SHOULD THIS MAINTAINS THAT IT HAS NEVER MADE ANY WRITTEN PROMISE. BE THE BEHAVOUR OF THE GOVERNMENT OF A GREAT NATION? PERHAPS SIR GEOFFREY UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS AN EMBARRASSING SITUATION FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THAT IS WHY, IN ADDITION TO DENYING STRONGLY (THAT A PROMISE HAD BEEN MADE), HE SPECIALLY ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE AFTER THE MEETING, ACCUSING ME OF FAILING TO COME UP WITH ANY EVIDENCE.
WHEN I LEARNED OF THIS UNUSUAL MOVE BY THE FCO, I ASKED THE FCO TO GIVE ME A COPY OF THE MINUTES OF THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN SIR GEOFFREY AND MYSELF ON THAT DAY FOR CLARIFICATION. THE FCO HOWEVER DID NOT AGREE TO DO SO. I THEREFORE HOPE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE CRITICISED THE DELEGATION OF DEMOCRATS TO BRITAIN WILL NOT JUST FULLY ACCEPT THE PRESS STATEMENT BY SIR GEOFFREY.
THEY SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR POSITION PAPER BEFORE MAKING ANY JUDGEMENT.
THE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE WAS NOT ROUTINE BUSINESS
SECONDLY, WHAT HAS BEEN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE VISIT TO BRITAIN? WHEN THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
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