!
ORDS
ROM
PHOTO
THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
House of Lords Westminster
3.
In this debate, we in
his House are anxious to know
how the draft Basic Law is being received in Hong Kong; what are
the subjects of greatest interest and which areas if any,
are giving cause for concern.
The bir question is whet her the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region will, after 1997, enjoy the high degree
of autonomy promised in the Joint Declaration?
Article 2 of the Draft deals with this clearly or so it seems
It says that the SAR will have the authority:
to me.
"to exercise a high degree of autonomy in accordance
with the provisions of this Dw and to enjoy executive, legislative and indepedant judicial power, including that of final adjudication"
411 the subsequent Articles in Chapter 1 under the heading
General Principles would appear to underline the general statement
in Article 2.
Even so, from what we have heard in the press and from the letters we have received, doubts, uncertainties
suspicions a ill remuin i many quarters and it is the
Government's responsibility to study these very carefully.
Cre of the issues on which there has been a developing
disagreement is that of so called democratisation. Thi. was
mentioned in Ou
chance on the White Paper or the 10th
February.
Tecisive Council sents this year.
I think there should be direct elections to
H
!