5.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1984
MY LORDS, THE REPORT SETS OUT CLEARLY THE VARIOUS VERY NATURAL CONCERNS WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURE. THIS WILL BE OF ENORMOUS VALUE TO THE GOVERNMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD DURING THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTING THE AGREEMENT AND DURING OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.
1 SHOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ONE OR TWO OF THESE CONCERNS NOW. ONE OF THESE WHICH HAS BEEN BROUGHT OUT IN THE STATEMENT OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ISSUED ON THE 29TH OF NOVEMBER, IS THE NATURAL WISH OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW. THE BASIC LAW WILL BE PASSED BY THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF THE PRC. AND IT IS FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO UNDERTAKE THE DRAFTING OF IT. I AM SURE, HOWEVER, THAT CHINESE LEADERS WILL HAVE NOTED THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON THIS SCORE. INDEED. CHINESE SPOKESMEN HAVE INDICATED PUBLICLY THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL BE CONSULTED, THOUGH THE EXACT FORM OF CONSULTATION HAS YET TO BE MADE CLEAR. WE WELCOME THIS.
ANOTHER CONCERN, RAISED IN THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE REPORT, IS ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. FEARS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MIGHT INTERFERE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG, IN MY VIEW THIS FEAR, THOUGH UNDERSTANDABLE, IS UNFOUNDED. THE AGREEMENT STATES EXPLICITLY THAT THE GROUP WILL BE AN ORGAN OF LIAISON AND NOT AN ORGAN OF POWER. IT WILL TAKE NO PART IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG. THE TWO GOVERNMENTS ARE AGREED THAT IT IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WHICH WILL REMAIN FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO THE FIRST OF JULY 1997. WE ARE DETERMINED TO CARRY OUT THAT COMMITMENT. THE GOVERNMENT ATTACHES THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE TO THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING THE NECESSARY CLOSE CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OVER HONG KONG IN THE NEXT 12 YEARS. I CAN ALSO ASSURE NOBLE LORDS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL ENSURE THAT THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG ARE PROPERLY REPRESENTED IN THE GROUP BY INVOLVING OFFICIALS FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN THE BRITISH DELEGATION.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT NATIONALITY. THIS WAS, WITHOUT QUESTION, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT SUBJECTS TO NEGOTIATE. EACH SIDE HAD CONFLICTING INTERESTS THAT WERE NOT EASILY RECONCILABLE. NEVERTHELESS, THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THE SOLUTION EVENTUALLY ACHIEVED GOES A LONG WAY TO MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG,
ARRANGEMENTS ON NATIONALITY ARE SET OUT IN THE DRAFT EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGREEMENT. THE TERMS OF THESE MEMORANDA HAVE BEEN AGREED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES AND THEY WERE INITIALLED AT THE SAME TIME AS THE AGREEMENT ITSELF.
THE EFFECTS