1
2
3
4
5
6
if I may respectfully say so. And that must mean
that, in the eyes of the Administration, at least
on the 27th May 1987 and I hope it is not being suggested that that position has changed
*
-that
to etry the Goverment then felt that, even-if the people of Hong Kong wanted direct elections in 1988, it
would be perfectly proper to introduce them without fear of adversely affecting our stability or prosperity. 9 But in the light of that answer less than; a year
7
00
8
10
In
ago, Sir, how can the Government still put this specious argument forward in the White Paper, without at least
Tin
saying that it is not a valid view in the eyes of
11
12
13
the Government ?
14
15
which, in my view,
16
17
18
19
八
Now I come to the convergence
3440
contained in a subsequent that all the options
point and I say that point, too must fail because of the Government's own argument
paragraph, namely, paragraph 26, before the Basic Law Drafting Committee contained 20 an element of direct elections. That was said in
21 the context that therefore the Government has no
Impl fear introducing, or proposing to introduce direct
223
24
25
26
27
28
4.
elections in 1991/ in anticipation, no doubt, that
^
lood to b
when the Basic Law is finally promulgated there will surely, be reem or place for at least an element
of directly elected seats in the future legislature.
But the point is, Sir, if the
29 Government can make a firm decision now that direct
elections will be introduced in 1991, without fear of non-convergence, how can it be suggested then
that the introduction of direct elections in 1988 will somehow run the danger of not converging with the Basic Law ? Surely the Government has to be
more consistent than that ? So I respectfully submit that this argument contained in paragraph 20 must fail.
30
31
32
33
34
35
36