UNCLASSIFIED
FM UKREP BRUSSELS
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
UNCLASSIFIED
MWF OURI JULY
HKD 22/1021/2
pla
69
24
010740
MDHIAN 1401
TELNO 1721
OF 092101Z JULY 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING
INFO ROUTINE STRASBOURG
a
ни Мешт ыко W71312
jahr 2017
FRAME EXTERNAL
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PLENARY, STRASBOURG, 6-10 JULY 1992: THE EC AND HONG KONG
SUMMARY
1. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS THE HINDLEY REPORT ON HONG KONG, WHICH SETS OUT ITS VIEW OF THE EC'S ROLE IN ENSURING THAT HONG KONG RETAINS ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AFTER 1997. SEVERAL MEPS EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF CHINESE RULE, ESPECIALLY ON THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRATISATION. BUT SCHMIDHUBER (COMMISSION) EXPECTS HONG KONG TO RETAIN ITS SPECIAL AUTONOMOUS STATUS AFTER 1997.
DETAIL
2.
INTRODUCING HIS REPORT, HINDLEY (UK, SOC) SAID HONG KONG BEGAN AND ENDED WITH ITS PEOPLE. IT WAS IN EUROPE'S INTEREST TO SAFEGUARD THEIR FUTURE UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND, WHILE ACCEPTING THE PROPER RETURN OF HONG KONG TO CHINA. THE EC SHOULD THEREFORE INCREASINGLY INVOLVE ITSELF IN RELATIONS WITH HONG KONG IN
PREPARATION FOR 1997.
3.
VISSER (NETHERLANDS, SOC) SUPPORTED THE REPORT, BUT FEARED THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRATISATION SET IN MOTION BY THE BRITISH WOULD BE SET BACK BY THE CHINESE. TITLEY (UK, SOC) ECHOED THIS CONCERN, BUT HOPED HONG KONG WOULD BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO CHINA TO ALLOW THE
TWO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS TO CO-EXIST. HE ARGUED THAT GREATER DEMOCRACY NOW WAS THE RIGHT WAY OF SAFEGUARDING HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THE 1995 ELECTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAD TO BE FREE AND OPEN.
4. BETHELL (UK, EPP) WELCOMED THE FACT THAT THE DEBATE WAS BEING HELD IN THE PRESENCE OF MARTIN LEE, THE LEADER OF THE UNITED DEMOCRAT PARTY. HE ARGUED THAT NEITHER THE UK NOR CHINA HAD
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