WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1992
BRITISH GOVT SEEKS DEMOCRACY FOR HK
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS FULLY CONSULTED AT ALL TIMES ABOUT THE POSITION BEING ADOPTED BY BRITISH GOVERNMENT WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON CONSTITUTIONAL MATTERS, THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LI WAH-MING, MR SZE SAID THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S AIM IN THESE DISCUSSIONS WAS TO SEEK THE MAXIMUM EXTENT OF DEMOCRACY FOR THE FUTURE CONSISTENT WITH THE EXPRESSED DESIRE FOR THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997.
MR SZE ADDED THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WERE KEPT FULLY BRIEFED THROUGHOUT THESE DISCUSSIONS.
ON THE REASONS WHY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DID NOT MENTION THE OME LCO CONSENSUS ON POLITICAL REFORM IN THE SINO-BRITISH DIPLOMATIC LETTERS, THE SECRETARY SAID THE OMELCO CONSENSUS WAS PASSED TO THE CHINESE SIDE AT AN EARLIER STAGE AND IT WAS POINTED OUT THAT IT COMMANDED WIDE PUBLIC SUPPORT IN HONG KONG.
"THE REASON WHY IT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE PUBLISHED DOCUMENTS IS THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS HAD BY THEN MOVED BEYOND THAT STAGE,' MR SZE SAID.
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GOVERNOR'S SPENDING PROPOSALS WILL NOT CUT RESERVES
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THE SPENDING PROPOSALS ANNOUNCED IN THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS WILL REDUCE THE LEVEL OF THE FISCAL RESERVES THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS SHOWN IN THE LAST BUDGET, IN IT'S MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST FOR 1992/93 TO 1996/97, THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY, MR KY YEUNG, SAID.
IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON DAVID LI KWOK-PO IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY), MR YEUNG SAID AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND, IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO FORMULATE MORE CONCRETE GUIDELINES.
"HOW LARGE THE RESERVES SHOULD BE MUST INEVITABLY REMAIN A MATTER OF JUDGEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE INFLUENCED BY A NUMBER OF FACTORS, THE SECRETARY SAID.
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THESE INCLUDED THE LEVEL OF ANNUALLY RECURRENT EXPENDITURE; THE OF OUTSTANDING CONTRACTUAL COMMITMENTS; THE EXTENT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINGENT LIABILITIES; AND ANY COMMITMENT SUCH AS THAT UNDER THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION THE NEW AIRPORT AND RELATED QUESTIONS.
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MR YEUNG ALSO REASSURED THAT THE SPENDING PROPOSALS ON WELFARE AND OTHER KEY PROGRAMME AREAS OVER THE FORECAST CONFORMED WITH THE BUDGETARY GUIDELINE THAT THE GROWTH RATE OF EXPENDITURE WOULD NOT OUTPACE THE TREND GROWTH RATE OF THE ECONOMY.
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