7
THURSTY, OCTO
27, 1983
+ IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TREAT ITS CONSULTANCY ON THE MONITORING OF THE POWER COMPANIES AS SOMETHING MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN PURELY PUBLIC RELATIONS EXERCISE,+ HE SAID.
+EVEN IF FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES TO THE SCHEMES OF CONTROL MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC EXPECT TO SEE A CRITICAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE APPRAISAL OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE POWER COMPANIES, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OR OTHERWISE OF THE EXISTING MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS, HE ADDED.
COMMENTING ON THE EXHIBITION CENTRE WHICH MISS DUNN, MR LEE AND MR WONG MENTIONED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY, MR CHEONG SAID, + ONLY PLEAD THAT OUR HOPES THIS TIME WOULD NOT AGAIN BE FRUSTRATED BY RED TAPE. +
ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, MR CHEONG SAID THAT THE PATH 8TOWARDS A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF THE TALKS COULD NOT BE EXPECTED
TO BE A SMOOTH ONE.
HE SAID THE TALKS WERE BASICALLY ABOUT POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ATTITUDES AND WERE THEREFORE VERY DIFFICULT TO MANAGE.
+ IT IS AN UNDENIABLE FACT THAT ALL OUR CITIZENS ENJOY ALL THE RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES, CONFIRMED BY THE RULE OF LAW, THAT EXIST IN ANY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY IN THE WEST, AND THAT WE HAVE BY ANY STANDARD - AN EFFICIENT, EFFECTIVE, PROGRESSIVE AND, ABOVE ALL, RESPONSIVE ADMINISTRATION, HE SAID.
HAVE NEVERTHELESS, GIVEN THAT HONG KONG AND CHINA TODAY VERY DIFFERENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEMS AND VERY DIFFERENT SENSE OF VALUES, THE FACTORS BEHIND OUR SUCCESS UNDERSTANDABLY DEFY EASY UNDERSTANDING AND READY ACCEPTANCE.
-
+ THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING US MUST BE ALLOWED TO RUN ITS NATURAL COURSE AND THE UNDERSTANDING BE GIVEN ADEQUATE TIME TO MATURE.
+ IT IS ONLY AFTER BOTH SIDES HAVE WELL AND TRULY MASTERED AND ACCEPTED THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HONG KONG'S VIABILITY THAT THE NEGOTIATORS COULD BEGIN TO DEVISE A FRAMEWORK WHICH WOULD SAFEGUARD OUR STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, + MR CHEONG SAID.
MR CHEONG SAID THAT THE NEED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE TALKS MUST BE RESPECTED AND ACCEPTED.
+THEREFORE, HOWEVER ANXIOUS WE ALL ARE ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS WE MUST REFRAIN FROM BEING RATTLED OR GOADED INTO MAKING INCORRECT ASSESSMENTS BY PRONOUNCEMENTS WE READ IN THE MEDIA.
+WE MUST ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF A SIMPLE TRUTH AND THAT IS WHILST THE NEPOTIATION IS GOING ON, EITHER SIDE CAN HARDLY BE EXPECTED TO PUBLICLY COMPROMISE THEIR RESPECTIVE NEGOTIATING POSITIONS, + (HE SAID.
/+THUS, IF