WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 1984
+ INSTRUCTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE+, SAYS H.E.
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TODAY'S LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE FUTURE WAS DESCRIBED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AS +BOTH INSTRUCTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE+.
SIR EDWARD MADE THE COMMENT AS HE LEFT AFTER THE DEBATE.
DEBATE ON THE FUTURE
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FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SIR,
+I HAVE LISTENED TO THE DEBATE WITH CLOSE ATTENTION AND VERY GREAT INTEREST. I WISH TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SPOKEN FOR THE DEEP SERIOUSNESS AND GREAT SENSE OF DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY WHICH THEY HAVE SHOWN IN APPROACHING AN ISSUE WHICH AFFECTS THE ENTIRE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND OF ITS PEOPLE AND IS OF VITAL CONCERN TO US ALL.
+AS MR LOBO SAID, IT IS NOW 18 MONTHS SINCE THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS THATCHER, VISITED CHINA AND A COMMUNIQUE WAS ISSUED WHICH STATED THAT THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES AGREED TO ENTER INTO TALKS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS, FOLLOWING HER VISIT, WITH THE COMMON AIM OF MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. IT IS EIGHT MONTHS SINCE THE SECOND PHASE OF THE TALKS BEGAN. THERE HAVE BEEN NINE ROUNDS OF TALKS IN THE SECOND PHASE, THE TENTH ROUND WILL TAKE PLACE ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OF THIS WEEK. IT HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY REVEALED THAT THE TALKS ARE PROCEEDING STEADILY AND MAKING PROGRESS AND THAT THEY ARE BEING SUPPLEMENTED BY INFORMAL CONTACTS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. THEY ARE KNOWN TO BE COVERING DETAILED GROUND. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS THE EXPRESSED INTENTION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO ANNOUNCE THE IR POLICIES AND GUIDELINES IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR. INEVITABLY, ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE CREATED IN HONG KONG AN AIR OF EXPECTATION AND GIVEN RISE TO A CALL FOR MORE TO BE MADE KNOWN OF WHAT THE FUTURE HAS IN STORE. AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, IT IS ENTIRELY NATURAL AND UNDERSTANDABLE THAT UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD WISH TO RAISE THIS ISSUE OF THE FUTURE IN THE TERMS OF THE MOTION WHICH IS NOW BEFORE US.
/+THERE HAS .............