MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984
ACCEPT ACCORD OR HAVE NONE, LOBO SAYS
******
+WE SHOULD NOT FORGET THAT OUR CHOICE IS TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT OR FACE THE FUTURE WITHOUT ONE, THE HON R.H. LOBO SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (MONDAY).
MF LOBO WAS MOVING A MOTION STANDING IN HIS NAME +THAT THIS COUNCIL ENDORSES THE DRAFT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND COMMENDS IT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.+
HE SAID THAT FOR THE PATIENT AND HARD WORK ING PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THE PAST 24 MONTHS HAD BEEN A DIFFICULT PERIOD WHEN THE IR COURAGE AND CONFIDENCE HAD BEEN TESTED TO THE FULL. IT HAD BEEN NECESSARY TO ACCEPT SO MUCH ON TRUST AND HONG KONG HAD BEEN NO PLACE FOR FAINT HEARTS.
+THROUGHOUT THESE TWO LONG YEARS OF UNCERTAINTY AND BEWILDERMENT WE HAVE PRAYED THAT THE AGREEMENT UNDER NEGOTIATION WOULD MIRROR AND ALLEVIATE OUR WORRIES, FEARS AND FEELINGS FOR THE FUTURE,+ HE SAID.
+THE LONG-AWAITED AGREEMENT, THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT IN HONG KONG'S HISTORY, IS NOW BEFORE US.+
HE SAID IN THE COURSE OF THESE TWO DAYS OF DEBATE, HIS COLLEAGUES WOULD EXPRESS THEIR OWN VIEWS AND ELABORATE ON VIEWS REPRESENTED TO THEM, SOME WOULD EXPRESS RESERVATIONS.
+ INEVITABLY, THERE ARE UNCERTAINTIES AND DOUBTS, AND IT IS
OUR DUTY TO EXPRESS THESE FREELY, MR LOBO SAID.
+I WOULD ALSO URGE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO MAKE KNOWN THE IR VIEWS, FAVOURABLE OR OTHERWISE, TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE.
WE ARE NOW ASSURED THESE VIEWS WILL BE KEPT UNDER SEAL PENDING RATIFICATION OF THE AGREEMENT AND DESTROYED SOON THEREAFTER.
+BUT WE SHOULD NOT FORGET THE OBJECTIVE OF THE AGREEMENT, ENTERED INTO FREELY BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS, NOR THE BACKGROUND TO THIS ACCORD, HE SAID.
+NOR SHOULD WE FORGET THAT OUR CHOICE IS TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT OR FACE THE FUTURE WITHOUT ONE.
HE SAID THE NEGOTIATIONS STARTED OUT WITH THE COMMON AIM SECURING A MEANS OF MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. THROUGHOUT THE CONFIDENTIAL TALKS WE WERE TROUBLED BY MANY WORRYING RUMOURS AND STORIES.
/IT WAS