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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984
+THUS I SEE, AS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, THE NEED FOR ENCOURAGING A CLOSER DIALOGUE BETWEEN CIVIL SERVANTS AND THE IR COUNTERPARTS IN CHINA, PARTICULARLY THOSE AT THE POLICY-MAKING LEVELS. FOR THEY HAVE A POSITIVE ROLE TO PLAY IN SECURING THE UNDERSTANDING, PATIENCE AND SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT IN CHINA BEFORE 1997, WHEN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW HAS TO BE COMPLETED, AND THEREAFTER WHEN THEY WILL CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ENSURING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAR RUNS SMOOTHLY, HE SAID.
CONCLUDING, MR CHEONG SAID IRRESPECTIVE OF ONE'S PERSONAL FEELING ON THE ROLES SUCCESSIVE BRITISH GOVERNMENTS MIGHT HAVE PLAYED ON THIS ISSUE OF OUR FUTURE, ONE COULD AT LEAST BE SATISFIED THAT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS THE HEART OF OFFICIALS AND UNOFFICIALS ALIKE IN HONG KONG WERE AND STILL WERE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
+AMID TREMENDOUS PRESSURE FROM ALL SIDES, THEY WORKED
HARD FOR THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
BASIC LAW DRAFTERS URGED TO LEARN ABOUT HONG KONG
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THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW WERE URGED TODAY (TUESDAY) TO DO SO AT THEIR OWN PACE, TO TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN IN DETAIL ABOUT HONG KONG, AND TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WISH TO STAY THE WAY THEY ARE AND HOW THEY ARE TO STAY THE MAY THEY WISH.
THE HON CHEUNG YAN-LUNG WAS SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCI.. DEBATE ON THE MOTION ENDORSING THE SINO-BRITISH DRAFT AGREEMENT.
MR CHEUNG, WHO SUPPORTED THE MOTION, SAID DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW WAS A CRUCIAL NEXT STEP TOWARDS 1997.
HE SAID HE SINCERELY HOPED THAT THE DRAFTERS OF THE BASIC LAY WOULD DEVOTE THEIR MINDS AND THE IR HEARTS TO THE COMPLEX TASK AT HAND AND TO CONSULT EXTENSIVELY AND SINCERELY PUBLIC VIEWS AT EVERY LEVEL OF AND IN EVERY SECTOR OF SOCIETY.
IN THIS THEY MIGHT DO WELL TO CONSULT OUR DISTRICT BOARDS FOR THE IR VIEWS AND ADVICE.
+WE ALREADY HAVE A GOOD DRAFT AGREEMENT, MR CHEUNG SAID. +WE MUST ENSURE THAT THERE WILL ALSO BE A GOOD BASIC LAW. +
/HE SAID