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MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 1988
THEREFORE, MR WIGGHAM SAID, THE PRESENT DRAFT REFLECTED THIS BY INCLUDING A NUMBER OF OPTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.
REFERRING TO THE MAIN AREAS OF PUBLIC CONCERN OF THE BASIC LAW, HE POINTED OUT THAT THIS INCLUDED WHETHER IT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE SAR WOULD ENJOY THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY PROVIDED FOR IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.
IT WAS ALSO CONCERNED WHETHER THERE WOULD BR ADEQUATE PROVISION FOR BASIC RIGHT AND FREEDOMS IN THE SAR.
FURTHERMORE, THE PUBLIC CONCERNED WHETHER THERE SHOULD BR LEGALLY BINDING PROVISIONS IN THE BASIC LAW WHICH WOULD RESTRICT THE AUTONOMY PROMISED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION FOR THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT IN DECIDING ITS ECONOMIC, FISCAL OR OTHER POLICIES, MR WIGGHAM SAID.
19 GRADUALLY INTO ACCOUNT
"ON THESE ISSUES, IT SEEMS THAT A CONSENSUS VIEW EMERGING IN HONG KONG; AND THIS WILL NO DOUBT BE TAKEN BY THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FURTHER DRAFTING WORK, HE ADDED.
MR WIGGHAM SAID IT SEEMED TO HIM THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL INCLINATION, ALL SHARED THE COMMON DESIRE OF DEVELOPING A SYSTEM WHICH WAS BEST SUITED TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND NEEDS OF HONG KONG, AND WHICH WOULD BEST CONTRIBUTE TO HONG KONG'S CONTINUED SUCCESS, AND PROSPERITY WITH STABILITY.
DURING THIS PERIOD OF DEBATE AND CONSULTATION ON THE SORT OF POLITICAL SYŠTĚM TO BE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW, HE SAID IF ALL CONCERNED RESPONDED IN A FLEXIBLE AND PRAGMATIC WAY SO THAT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF COMMON GROUND COULD BE FOUND TO FORM THE BASIS OF A MODEL ACCEPTABLE TO ALL, THEN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG COULD BR MOST RI ̃ECTIVELY REPRESENTED.
WHILE ADMITTING THAT HONG KONG WAS NOW IN AN ERA OF CHANGE AND THAT CHANGE COULD BE UNSETTLING, MR WIGGHAM POINTED OUT THAT CHANGE ALSO PROVIDE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TO THOSE WHO WERE PREPARED TO FACE THE CHALLENGE.
It
"NO ONE CAN NOW GUARANTEE WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN 1997, 2007 OR 2047. ONE CAN ONLY MAKE PREDICTIONS BASED ON PRESENT INDICATORS,' MR WIGOHAM SAID, ADDING THAT AS FAR AS HE COULD SEE, THE INDICATORS WERE POSITIVE AND THERE WAS GOOD CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM.
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