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FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 1989
OF
IN CONSIDERING THE CONTINUED APPLICATION
INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG, AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED ON HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN 14 INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, MR TSANG SAID.
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"COLLECTIVELY THESE AGREEMENTS ARE A DEMONSTRATION OF THE GRADUAL REALISATION OF PROMISES MADE IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, HE SAID.
"NO LESS SIGNIFICANT IS THE FACT THAT INVOLVEMENT OF THIS KIND CONSTITUTES A NETWORK OF INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WILL CONTINUE BEYOND 1997 AND WHICH WILL ENSURE THAT HONG KONG WILL REMAIN AN INTERNATIONAL CENTRE, WITH ITS OWN SEPARATE SYSTEM.
MR TSANG ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE WAS THE PUBLICATION BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THIS WEEK OF THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW, AND HE REMARKED ON THE UNIQUENESS OF THE DOCUMENT WHICH WOULD EMBODY THE CONCEPT OF "ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS",
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"THE PRESENT DRAFT WHICH REPRESENTS OVER THREE YEARS' HARD WORK BY THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING CIMMITTEE IS A COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENT, HE SAID.
"THE LATEST TEXT SHOWS THAT SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO THOSE ARTICLES DEALING WITH THE DIVISION OF POWER BETWEEN THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES AND THE SAR, AND THE PROTECTION OF BASIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS.
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MR TSANG SAID THAT HAVING FOLLOWED THE DRAFTING PROCESS CLOSELY, HE FELT PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED BY THE OPEN-MINDED ATTITUDE
OF THE DRAFTERS AND THEIR READINESS TO ACCEPT PUBLIC CRITICISMS ON THE VARIOUS DRAFTS OF THE BASIC LAW.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE LATEST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE SUBJECT TO FURTHER AMENDMENTS IN THE LIGHT OF PUBIC COMMENTS IN THE SECOND ROUND OF CONSULTATION.
"AT THIS CRUCIAL STAGE IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO TRY TO WORK OUT AMONGST THEMSELVES THE BASIS OF A WIDELY ACCEPTABLE POLITICAL MODEL FOR THE FUTURE, HE SAID.
"I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE CONTINUING DIALOGUE AMONG THE VARIOUS INTEREST GROUPS WILL BEAR FRUIT."
FROM SAN FRANCISCO, MR TSANG CONTINUES HIS TOUR OF AMERICA WITH VISITS TO TORONTO, BOSTON AND WASHINGTON.
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