foreshadowing the certain changes in the representative
arrangements in Hong Kong.
on
They are now considering
The comment that
those proposals.
public comment has been made generally gives support to the principle of gradual development of representative institutions, perhaps along the lines that the hon. Gentleman has in mind. It is hoped that a White Paper setting out the reaction of the Hong Kong Government will be published
shortly."
On the same occasion Mr. Jeremy Bray pointed out that
at the White Paper should provide "it is most important that
the election of least as much as is already in the Agreement
the Legislative Council" and that "while the emphasis in Hong
Kong is
on the maintenance of
stability and gradualism in the
development of representative institutions, there is very little time and the people of Hong Kong look to the House to set the pace for what is already an ambitious time scale".
Her
Mr. Robert Adley asked for "a general assurance that will not allow ultra-conservative Government Majesty's elements in Hong Kong to prevent the development of democratic
institutions in due course".
the
In answer to Mr. Bryan Gould's question whether Foreign Secretary regarded "the establishment of directly elected democratic Government as a potentially valuable safeguard of Hong Kong's continuing autonomy" and, if so, whether he agreed "that it is important that that safeguard should be well established soon as possible", Sir Geoffrey and therefore put in place as Howe confirmed that "that is one of the factors that was borne in mind and which resulted in the inclusion of the provisions in the
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