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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985
PRINCIPLES
+TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES THE PLANS IN THE WHITE PAPER HAVE BEEN BASED ON FOUR PRINCIPLES, THE FIRST PRINCIPLE BORNE IN MIND WAS THAT THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE BASED, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, ON OUR EXISTING INSTITUTIONS AND SHOULD PRESERVE THEIR BEST FEATURES, INCLUDING THE WELL-ESTABLISHED PRACTICE OF GOVERNMENT BY CONSENSUS. THE SECOND PRINCIPLE BORNE IN MIND WAS THAT THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE DEVELOPED GRADUALLY AND PROGRESSIVELY. THE THIRD PRINCIPLE BORNE IN MIND WAS THAT A REASONABLE BALANCE SHOULD BE STRUCK IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BETWEEN ELECTED, APPOINTED AND OFFICIAL MEMBERS. AND THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE BORNE IN MIND AND VERY MUCH SO WAS THAT THE MORE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM SHOULD NOT PUT AT RISK THOSE FACTORS WHICH HAVE SECURED THE SOCIAL STABILITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
+ IN THE RATHER LONGER TERM OF APPLICATION OF THESE PRINCIPLES SHOULD ENABLE THREE OTHER OBJECTIVES TO BE REALISED. THAT IS TO SAY, THE APPLICATION OF THESE PRINCIPLES SHOULD ASSIST US, FIRST, TO DECIDE UPON THE CHANGES WHICH SHOULD BE MADE IN THE COMPOSITION, METHOD OF SELECTION AND POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL; SECONDLY, TO DEFINE THE POSITION OF THE GOVERNOR IN RELATION TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCILS; AND, THIRDLY, TO DETERMINE HOW BEST TO MAKE THE EXECUTIVE ORGANS OF THE GOVERNMENT MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE.
+THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF THE APPLICATION OF THESE PRINCIPLES IS TO ENSURE THAT A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IS FIRMLY ESTABLISHED DURING THE NEXT 12 YEARS WHICH WILL PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF OUR PRESENT SOCIETY AND WHICH WILL ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FOR HONG KONG FROM ITS PRESENT STATUS AS A BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORY TO THAT OF A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF CHINA, WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY.
+NEEDLESS TO SAY, IN PREPARING THE PLANS STATED IN THE WHITE PAPER, THE PROVISIONS OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, WHICH PROVIDE, INTER ALIA, FOR THE LEGISLATURE OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION TO BE CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS, HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
COMPOSITION OF NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
+OBVIOUSLY, THE FIRST AND SECOND OBJECTIVES OF THE PLANS IN THž WHITE PAPER WHICH I MENTIONED A FEW MOMENTS AGO WILL BE BEST
IEVED BY ENSURING THAT THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL MAJOR SECTORS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO THE TE PAPER DEF INES HOW A NEW STYLE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SHOULD BE ASSEMBLED WITH EFFECT FROM THE 1985-86 SESSION.
/+ELECTIONS WILL