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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1993
MICHAEL SZE REPLIES ON CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE
FOR THE
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE SECRETARY CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE, IN THE MOTION FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,
DEBATE ON SITTING
ON 7 OCTOBER 1992 THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED IN THIS COUNCIL PROPOSALS FOR THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS IN 1994-95. THESE PROPOSALS REPRESENTED THE ADMINISTRATION'S BEST JUDGEMENT OF THE OPTIMUM BALANCE BETWEEN THE CLEARLY EXPRESSED DESIRE OF THE COMMUNITY FOR A GREATER SAY IN RUNNING THEIR OWN AFFAIRS ON THE ONE HAND, AND ON THE OTHER THE WISH TO SEE ARRANGEMENTS BEING PUT IN PLACE WHICH ARE WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW, AND THUS CAPABLE OF TRANSCENDING 1997.
PROPOSALS HAVE ATTRACTED
THE ADMINISTRATION'S
EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. AND I AM PLEASED TO SEE THAT THERE IS CONTINUING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE PACKAGE, AS REFLECTED IN THE SERIES OF INDEPENDENT OPINION SURVEYS DURING THIS PERIOD. MOTION DEBATES ON 17 OCTOBER AND 11 NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, THIS ALSO GAVE ITS GENERAL SUPPORT TO THE PACKAGE AS A WHOLE, AND PROPOSED COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE IN PARTICULAR.
IN TWO COUNCIL ΤΟ THE
DESPITE THIS GENERAL SUPPORT, SOME OF OUR CRITICS INCLUDING A FEW OF THE SPEAKERS TODAY, HAVE SUGGESTED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD NOW WITHDRAW ITS PROPOSALS. THEIR ARGUMENT IS THAT THE PROPOSALS SOMEHOW VIOLATED THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE BASIC LAW AND THE UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS IN EARLY 1990.
I DO NOT WISH TO PROLONG THIS DEBATE BY REHEARSING OUR WELL- KNOWN POSITION EXCEPT TO SAY THAT NONE OF THE ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THESE ACCUSATIONS BEAR EXAMINATION.
MR. DEPUTY PRESIDENT, IT REMAINS THE ADMINISTRATION'S FIRM AND SINCERE BELIEF THAT OUR PROPOSALS ARE IN THE OVERALL LONG-TERM INTEREST OF HONG KONG, ARE WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE BASIC LAW, AND ARE CONDUCIVE TO HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. WE CANNOT THEREFORE SEE ANY REASON WHY THE PROPOSALS SHOULD NOT BE INTRODUCED FOR CONSIDERATION BY THIS COUNCIL. INDEED, WE WOULD THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC EXPECT THE PROPOSALS TO BE EXAMINED DETAILED MANNER AND DECIDED UPON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
THINK
IN A
/ACCORDINGLY, SUBJECT