CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1816
OF 02110OZ JUNE 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 012/1
02 JUN 1989
له
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
'110)
151574 MDHIAN 7383
TOP COPY Q DIST?
BASIC LAW LEGCO DEBATE ON THE SECOND DRAFT (31 MAY AND 1 JUNE)
ON 31 MAY AND 1 JUNE LEGCO DEBATED THE FOLLOWING MOTION MOVED BY SENIOR MEMBER, MR. ALLEN LEE:-
''THAT THIS COUNCIL CALLS ON THE PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON 'THE BASIC LAW OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (DRAFT)' AND URGES THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED TO TAKE SUCH VIEWS FULLY INTO ACCOUNT BEFORE THE PROMULGATION OF THE BASIC LAW.''
A TOTAL OF 11 APPOINTED MEMBERS AND 20 ELECTED MEMBERS SPOKE: THE
ACTING CS GAVE THE CONCLUDING SPEECH.
2.
AS EXPECTED, A MAJOR THEME OF SPEECHES WAS THAT RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA HAD LED TO A POLITICAL AWAKENING IN HONG KONG WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE MATCHED BY MORE RAPID PROGRESS TOWARDS A DEMOCRATICALLY BASED SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT. MOST MEMBERS TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EMPHASISE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE CONSENSUS ACHIEVED AMONG OMELCO MEMBERS ON
THE TIMETABLE FOR ACHIEVEMENT OF A FULLY DIRECTLY ELECTED SAR LEGISLATURE (MY TELNO. 1697 REFERS) AND FOR THE ELECTION OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE BY UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE BY 2003 AT THE LATEST (MY TELNO 1773
REFERS).
3.
MEMBERS ALSO EMPHASISED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BASIC LAW TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF ''ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS'' AND THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY AND LIFE STYLE AFTER 1997. WHILE SOME MEMBERS FOCUSSED ON SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE DRAFT WHICH THEY CONSIDER REQUIRE FURTHER AMENDMENT, OTHERS OPTED FOR A MORE GENERAL APPEAL TO THE HONG KONG PUBLIC TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT. A NUMBER OF MEMBERS (NOTABLY MR. SZETO WAH) DECLARED, IN ELOQUENT TERMS, THEIR PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG AND THEIR DETERMINATION TO WORK FOR ITS FUTURE BEYOND 1997.
A SUMMARY OF THE KEY POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS, TOGETHER WITH A DETAILED CHECKLIST OF SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS WILL FOLLOW EARLY NEXT
4.
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