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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SUGGESTION TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTION IN 1993 FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG HONG WHICH ACKNOWLEDGED THAT +THERE WAS STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA OF DIRECT ELECTIONS BUT LITTLE SUPPORT FOR SUCH ELECTIONS IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.+
IN THE CONTEXT, HE SAID, THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE MEANT
SEPTEMBER 1985.
HE ADDED THAT HE HAD DETECTED NO SIGN WHATSOEVER OF ANY CHANGE OF PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN THIS REGARD.
+ ON THE CONTRARY, HAVING REGARD TO MY PLATFORM AND THOSE OF MY MANY COLLEAGUES IN THE RECENT ELECTIONS, IT IS OBVIOUS TO ALL THAT THOSE OF US WHO HAD, IN OUR RESPECTIVE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS, PLEDGED TO SUPPORT THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988, HAVE RECEIVED A CLEAR MANDATE TO DO SO.
+AND THAT MANDATE IS A VERY WIDE ONE, EMBRACING MOST OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES,+ HE SAID,
ADDRESSING THE WORRY THAT OUR ECONOMY MIGHT BE THREATENED, MR LEE SAID: THE STRENGTH OF OUR ECONOMY CAN ONLY BE MAINTAINED IF, AND ONLY 1, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BELIEVE THAT THIS PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS CAN WORK: THAT IS, THEY CAN REASONABLY EXPECT THAT THE MUCH MIGHTIER SYSTEM ACROSS THE BORDER WILL NOT INTERFERE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF OUR MUCH SMALLER SYSTEM OR THAT IF THERE BE SUCH ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE, THERE IS A SUFFICIENTLY STRONG AND EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG TO WITHSTAND THEM.+
IT WAS NOT REALISTIC TO HOPE THAT CHINA WOULD NOT INTERFERE OR AT LEAST ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE; AND WE MUST BE PREPARED FOR IT.
+ INDEED, IT MUST BE CLEAR BY NOW TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID OF DIRECT ELECTION, THAT UNLESS WE HAVE DIRECT ELECTION, WE WILL NEVER HAVE AN EFFECTIVE AND HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT TO KEEP OUR SYSTEM SEPARATE FROM THE REST OF CHINA.
+IN SUCH A SITUATION, THE OUTFLOW OF CAPITAL AND TALENT WILL CONTINUE AS BEFORE AND ALTHOUGH THE BOAT WILL NOT BE ROCKED, OUR ECONOMY WILL LANGUISH AND DIE,+ HE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE SAID IT WAS DESIRABLE TO CARRY OUT POLITICAL REFORMS GRADUALLY.
HE SUGGESTED THAT WE SHOULD ONLY HAVE 25 PER CENT OF THE SEATS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL VIA THE DIRECT ELECTION ROUTE IN 1982. AS TO THE REST, WE SHOULD WAIT FOR THE REVIEW IN 1987, WHICH SHOULD COMMENCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.
+E WILL NEED TO RE-ASSESS THE POSITION AGAIN AFTER THE 1988 ELECTIONS BEFORE DECIDING ON THE NEXT STEP,+ HE SAID.
MR LEE