MWB 012/7
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09-1200 HONGKONG-CHINA-PUSINESS
10/11
Mom's on Wingen, 1911
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Mr Fuss
Miss Sand
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par Presentation
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/Mr. Foollad Mir Hum Mr Ricketts, HK Mr Javier FET) Special Aduers
HK business leaders join ranke against Dover{0
HONG KONG, Nov 9, Reuter Hong Kong's business establishment on Monday closed ranks against Governor Chris Patten's push for greater democracy in the colony, saying his proposals WEB useless without China s endorsement.
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The Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong released a statement, urging the governor to back down on plans for constitutional reform which have sparked a diplomatic row between Britain and China
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Patten proposed that a majority of Hong Kong's legislature in 1995 be returned through direct or indirect polls with a much broader electoral base. China says the plan violates Sino-British pacts and the Basic Law, a mini-constitution for Hong Kong after it reverts to Bei iing's sovereignty in 1997.
To run the risk of developing a political structure which will be dismantled in 4-1/2 years' time is just not acceptable to us!
former colonial chief secretary Sir David Akers-Jones, member of the federation's advisory council, told a news conference.
We believe convergence with the Basic Law in the future development of representative government is in the best intereste of Hong Kong," he said.
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China's top official in charge of Hong Kong, Lu Ping, haz threatened to overturn any local electoral arrangements that Beiling does not support after it takes over in 1997.
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Zhou Nan, the top Chinese official in Hong Kong, on Friday accused Patten of trying to extend Britain's colonial rule with his reform proposals.
We should now be proceeding full-team on a smooth transition -- and this requires close co-operation between the two governments instead of a major confrontation as we have on our hands, Akers-Jones said.
After 30 years of dealing with China I have learnt that if you put them on the spot in public. if a loss of face is involved, you get nowhere, 77 said David Gledhill a member of the
board of trustees
and 7ormer Chairman of Cathay
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federation Pacific Airwave,
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The federation said it planned to meet Patten in early December to discuss its objections to his reforms.
REUTER DY NA SH