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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1992
"AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WILL BE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE REFORM PACKAGE IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THE VIEWS EXPRESSED, HE SAID.
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HE SAID HE HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE IN THE JUDGEMENT AND INTEGRITY OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN CARRYING OUT THIS SOLEMN DUTY IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY AND IN THE LONG-TERM INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
TURNING то CONCERNS ABOUT DETERIORATION IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND ITS EFFECT ON HONG KONG, MR SZE SAID RELATIONS WITH CHINA HAD FOR LONG BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR IN POLICY MAKING, AND IT WAS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW AS 1997 DREW CLOSER.
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"BUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA IS NOT A FREE-STANDING OF ITS OWN. IT IS NOT THE ONLY BENCH-MARK AGAINST WHICH OUR ACTIONS WILL BE JUDGED, HE SAID.
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HE SAID THE FURTHERANCE OF A GOOD RELATIONSHIP DID NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT BOTH SIDES COULD AGREE ON ALL ISSUES AT ALL TIMES.
IN A MATURE RELATIONSHIP, THERE WOULD INEVITABLY BE TIMES WHERE THE TWO PARTIES HAD TO AGREE TO DISAGREE.
MR SZE ALSO ADDRESSED THE MAIN CRITICISMS MADE BY THE CHINESE SIDE, WHICH WERE THAT THE PROPOSALS WERE TOO RADICAL AND CONFRONTATIONAL, THAT THEY PRE-EMPTED CONSULTATION WITH CHINA, THAT THEY WERE INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE BASIC LAW, AND THAT THEY WERE NOT CONDUCIVE TO STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.
MR SZE SAID THE PROPOSALS WERE NOT CONFRONTATIONAL AT ALL. OTHERWISE HONG KONG WOULD HAVE FORGED AHEAD TO INCREASE DEMOCRACY BY THE MOST DIRECT MEANS, WHICH WAS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS.
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"IT IS PRECISELY TO AVOID DIRECT CONFRONTATION THAT
HAVE PROPOSED TO BROADEN THE DEMOCRATIC BASE OF THE 1995 ELECTION BY ALTERNATIVE MEANS, WHICH ARE IN KEEPING WITH THE BASIC LAW, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT IT WOULD RE IMPRUDENT FOR THE GOVERNOR TO DISCUSS THESE PROPOSALS WITH CHINA BEHIND THE BACKS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.
HAD HE DONE SO, IT WOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY CAUSED WORRYING SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT SECRET DEALS WERE IN THE MAKING. THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONDUCIVE TO POLITICAL STABILITY.
ON THE CRITICISMS THAT THE PROPOSALS WERE INCOMPATIBLE WITH
LAW DID THE BASIC LAW, MR SZE SAID IT WAS A FACT THAT THE BASIC
NOT PROVIDE ALL THE ANSWERS ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS.
IT WAS LITERALLY SILENT ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE NINE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES OR ABOUT THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR 1995.
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