HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
5 July 1989
香港立法局
---
一九八九年七月五日
74
英國對香港人的特別責任根源於香港是英國屬土的地位,這論點在前幾天英國下議院外交事務 委員會作出的香港報告已經公開承認。主席先生,英國應該盡其對香港的特別責任,不應以彈性 處理方式回應香港人要求居英權的問題,因為英國對香港的維護責任為港人信心所繫,而信心就 是社會生存的動力;信心可以使人才留在香港,-
滿香港是我家的歸屬感;信心亦可令外資投入 香港。一旦信心搖動,人才必然會外流,資金亦必然外調。現在正是面臨考驗英國政府對香港履 行特別責任的時刻,港人為信心出現危機而向英國政府發出懇切的呼籲亦已到了聲嘶力歇的時候 。現在讓我再三重覆申述信心的重要性。信心的一端是靠中英聯合聲明支持下的一國兩制來維持 資本主義制度、社會及生活方式不變,信心的另外一端,是港人擁有英國居留權。如果中英聯合 聲明未能確切實行,基本法失去約制作用,港人亦可自由離港。香港人現在要求取得英國居留權 實屬正當的權利,亦屬既有權利。主席先生,進一步來說,居留並不等於收容,兩者性質不同 ;居留須受工作及生活的條件所限制,英國只要將大門打開,問題就可以解決。所以我認為港人 所申述的意見應該值得英國當局接受,因為英國在這個過渡時期,有責任維持香港的安定及繁榮
目前港人的信心已經出現動搖的危機,唯一的急切補救辦法,就是英國給予港人的居留權利, 切實履行對香港宗主國的責任。
主席先生,我謹此陳辭,支持動議。
MR. ARCULLI: Sir, I should like to make a few observations on some aspects of the Foreign Affairs Committee report in relation to the visit of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Rt. Hon. Sir Geoffrey HOWE, QC, MP. In his press conference on 4 July 1989 before his departure, the Secretary of State gave Hong Kong seven points that he particularly had in mind. I shall not repeat those seven points here because they must be firmly embedded in the minds of all of us. Indeed when asked by a journalist what I thought of those points I instinctively said: "There were no surprises." Sir, why it came as no surprise was because each of those seven points is found in virtually identical terms in the FAC report. But in the mind of the Secretary of State the points he made were new as the FAC report contains only recommendations of that committee and not the position of the British Government. Enough of this for we must not detract from the business of today.
One general comment on the FAC report is this: There is a discernible vein that surfaces from time to time in the FAC report which is that almost every other country in the free world has to come in aid of Britain to help her fulfil her "unique obligation" to Hong Kong. This ranges from a stronger role for the United Nations to restore credibility in the Joint Declaration to establishing guarantees with Britain's European Economic Community partners and other countries to share several million Hong Kong people should the need arise. The Secretary of State has altered his position in this respect as he previously said he did not think it was right to mobilize international support now. Maybe there is a chance for us to make some headway in other respects. After all, with the assurance of the Secretary of State that it would be dishonest to promise what no
Page 90Page 91