WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1984
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UK DEBATES AIDED BY UMELCO VISIT AG
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THE BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS WELL-INFORMED AND LESS WELL-ATTENDED IF THE UNOFFICIALS HAD STAYED AT HOME, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SPEAKING AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE, ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG+, MR THOMAS SAID THE UMELCO DELEGATION'S ACTIVITIES IN LONDON BEFORE THE DEBATES BROUGHT ABOUT A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION, APART FROM THE NUMEROUS MEETINGS THEY HAD WITH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.
IN HIS VIEW, EVENTS OF THE PAST FEW WEEKS HAD BOOSTED UMELCO'S STANDING AS LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
+AND THIS IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT COMES AT THE VERY TIME WHEN HONG KONG IS FACING A MOST DIFFICULT AND TESTING PERIOD OF IMPENDING CHANGE.
+AS THE COMPLEX ISSUES COME INTO FOCUS WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL BE LOOKING FOR REALISM, CLEAR THINK ENG AND ABOVE ALL A POSITIVE LEAD FROM UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND ALL PERSONS OF STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY,+ MR THOMAS SAID.
HE EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE THAT UMELCO WOULD PLAY THE IR PART IN PROVIDING SUCH LEADERSHIP, FORTIFIED BY THEIR RECENT EXPERIENCES.
MR THOMAS SAID THAT SIR S.Y. CHUNG, IN HIS REMARKS QUOTED BY THE HON T.S. LO, DREW ATTENTION TO THE GREAT DEAL OF WORK THAT LIES AHEAD.+
HE REFERRED TO MISS LYDIA DUNN'S REMARKS THAT THE INHABITANTS OF HONG KONG. THE PEOPLE MOST AFFECTED BY THE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATION CURRENTLY UNDER WAY, WERE NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE TALKS.
IT WAS THEREFORE UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THERE SHOULD BE CONCERN AND ANXIETY HERE ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS, AND THAT UMELCO MEMBERS SHOULD WISH TO REFLECT THEM TO MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAD PAID TRIBUTE TO THE IMPORTANT ROLE PLAYED BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF BOTH COUNCILS AS ADVISERS TO THE GOVERNOR AND AS A CHANNEL FOR THE EXPRESSION OF THE WISHES AND CONCERNS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.
+ IT WAS IN THIS LATTER CAPACITY THAT UMELCO MEMBERS TOOK THE DECISION TO GO TO LONDON, USING FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THEM TO AID THEM IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE IR DUTIES.
/+THE MATTERS