THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1987-
2
WRONG TO PREDICT OUTCOME OF CONSULTATIONS
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SIR DAVID
THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, TODAY (THURSDAY) SAID THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG NOW TO PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF CONSULTATIONS ON HONG KONG'S POLITICAL REFORMS AND THE BASIC LAW. SIR DAVID WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING A BRITISH EDUCATION FAIR.
ASKED TO COMMENT ON REMARKS BY MR LU PING, DEPUTY SECRETARY- GENERAL OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE IN KUNMING YESTERDAY, SIR DAVID SAID THE HONG KONG AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS WOULD BE CONSULTING HONG KONG OPINION ON POLITICAL REFORMS LATER ON THIS YEAR.
HE NOTED THAT CONSULTATION WAS ALSO GOING ON WITH THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ABOUT THE BASIC LAW.
+NOW, THESE TWO PROCESSES OF CONSULTATION, WHILE THEY ARE GOING ON IN PARALLEL, THE CONSULTATION IS WITH THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE, HE SAID.
+ AND I HOPE THE HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL GIVE THE SAME SORT OF RESPONSE TO THE CONSULTATIONS FROM THESE TWO DIRECTIONS.+
HE STRESSED THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG NOW TO PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATIONS WHEN HONG KONG PEOPLE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THEM, AND A GREEN PAPER WAS TO BE PUBLISHED LATER ON.
SIR DAVID'S REMARKS WERE ECHOED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MR DAVID FORD, WHEN HE SPOKE TO REPORTERS AFTER A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE YOUNGER MANAGERS' CLUB.
MR FORD SAID: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO NOT TRY TO LEAD PUBLIC OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER ABOUT WHAT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT HAPPEN AT THE END OF THIS EXERCISE.
+I THINK THERE IS A DANGER THAT BY DRAWING PEOPLE OUT AT THIS STAGE BEFORE THEY HAVE SEEN THE GREEN PAPER AND TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO ESTABLISH THEIR POSITIONS AT THIS STAGE BEFORE THE GREEN PAPER IS EVEN PUBLISHED IS NOT VERY HELPFUL DEVELOPMENT FOR HONG KONG.+
HE STRESSED THAT THE CONSULTATIONS WOULD BE GENUINE EXERCISES, AND HE ADVISED PEOPLE TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS FREELY ABOUT HOW THEY BEST SEE THE FUTURE OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG, +AND I THINK THAT, AT THIS STAGE, WE CAN DO NO MORE.+
/MR FORD