#
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1984
+ THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG THIS OPINION SOUNDING MECHANISM HAS BEEN CARRYING OUT ITS
THE FIRST ROLE, THAT OF JUDGING REACTIONS TO POSSIBLE OPTIONS. CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE TALKS - ALTHOUGH JUSTIFIED IN THE INTEREST OF PROMOTING CONSTRUCTIVE NEGOTIATION HAS INEVITABLY LIMITED THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT COULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE. BUT THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAVE BEEN FULLY CONSULTED. THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY, IN HIS STATEMENTS IN THE TERRITORY ON APRIL 20 AND AUGUST 1, HAS ALSO DONE ALL HE JUDGED POSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN THE APPROACH OF HMG TO THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE IR LIKELY OUTCOME. MOREOVER MANY OF THE ISSUES TO WHICH PEOPLE ATTACH IMPORTANCE HAVE BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MUCH DISCUSSION BOTH PUBLICLY IN THE MEDIA AND PRIVATELY. POINTS HAVE EVEN BEEN MADE TODAY BY MRS CHOW AND MR YEUNG PO KWAN: BOTH MRS CHOW AND MR PETER C. WONG EMPHASISED THE NEED TO SPEAK UP WITHOUT DELAY. IT HAS BEEN POSSIBLE, ULTIMATELY THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, TO FORMULATE ADVICE ON WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT THOUGHT TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO HONG KONG. ALL MANIFESTATIONS OF THE VIEWS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE FULLY AND SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY HMG AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
+ BUT IT IS RIGHT THAT THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION SHOULD NOT END THERE, AND THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT FORMALLY ON THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. PARLIAMENT, AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE THEMSELVES WOULD EXPECT NO LESS.
+ IT IS AT THIS POINT THAT THE SECOND FUNCTION OF OUR MECHANISM FOR ASSESSING OPINION IS BROUGHT INTO PLAY - THAT
IS THAT PART WHICH ASSESSES CURRENT VIEWS ON KNOWN PROPOSALS.
FROM THE SPEECHES OF MR PETER WONG, MR BILL BROWN AND MRS PAULINE NG OUR OBJECTIVES AND REASONS ARE UNDERSTOOD THOUGH PERHAPS WE HAVE
NOT EXPLAINED THE DIVISION OF WORK PRECISELY ENOUGH. ON THIS OCCASION IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE TASKS OF STIMULATING AND ASSESSING COMMENT BE SPLIT INTO FOUR PARTS. ARE AS FOLLOWS:
THESE FOUR PARTS
* THE GOVERNMENT WILL DISSEMINATE AND EXPLAIN THE
AGREEMENT, URGING THE PUBLIC TO EXPRESS ITS VIEWS.
*
IT WILL BE UP TO THE PEOPLE TO EXPRESS VIEWS.
*
THE VIEWS WILL BE ASSESSED IN THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
*
THE OPERATION OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL BE SCRUTINISED BY MONITORS.
/+THE FIRST