CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1721
OF 25104OZ JUNE 92
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TOP COPY Q DIST?
pa. Leglo
147607
MDHIAN 9420
(CORRECTED VERSION
(32
ORIGINATORS CORRECTION PARA (F))
OUR TELNO 1685: LEGCO MOTION DEBATE ON OMELCO CONSENSUS.
SUMMARY
MCGREGOR'S MOTION DEFEATED BY A VERY NARROW MARGIN. LONG AND HEATED DEBATE, INTERSPERSED WITH EXCHANGES OF ACCUSATIONS. ALTOGETHER 28 LEGCO MEMBERS SPOKE ON THE DEBATE.
DETAIL
2.
MCGREGOR'S MOTION (PARA 1 OF TUR) WAS SUPPORTED BY ALL THE LIBERALS, PLUS THREE INDEPENDENTS (PANG CHUN-HOI WHO IS A PRO- TAIWAN, ANDREW WONG WHO IS ALSO AN EXCO MEMBER, AND EMILY LAU). THEY ACCUSED THE CONSERVATIVES OF BLOWING TO THE WIND BY DESERTING THEIR PRINCIPLES SO AS TO APPEASE CHINA. THEIR MAIN
POINTS ARE:
(A) MORE DEMOCRACY IS THE BEST GUARANTEE THAT HK WILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, AS WELL AS THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY PROMISED BY THE JD. THE OMELCO CONSENSUS MODEL IS ONLY A VERY MODEST SCHEME AND DOES NOT ENVISAGE A FULLY DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO UNTIL 2003.
(B)
EXPERIENCE IN OTHER PLACES SHOW THAT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC SUCCESS GO HAND IN HAND. MORE DEMOCRACY WILL THEREFORE EASE THE TRANSITION TO 1997 AND BEYOND.
(C) THE LEGAL MECHANISM FOR AMENDING THE BL IS ALREADY THERE: IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF WILL AND WHETHER THE CHINESE ARE READY TO RESPECT THE WISHES OF THE HK PEOPLE.
(D) HK PEOPLE SHOULD NOT DEPEND ON THE UK TO LOOK AFTER THEIR INTEREST SINCE UK'S INTEREST IS NOT ALWAYS COMPATIBLE WITH HONG KONG'S.
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CONFIDENTIAL