2
MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 1993
"WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEVELOP OUR ENVIABLE FREEDOM OF ACTION AS A GOVERNMENT AND A COMMUNITY, BY FOCUSING POSITIVELY ON THE STRENGTHi OF OUR POSITION RATHER THAN SPENDING Του MUCH ΤΙΜΕ CN UNATTAINABLE.
TH
"THIS IS NOT EXPEDIENCE;
PT
IT IS PRAGMATISM, SIR DAVID SAID.
HE SAID PRAGMATISM HAD NOT PREVENTED HONG KONG FROM PRESERVING INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY IN HONG KONG, OR FROM DEVELOPING CONS 1 DERABLE FREEDOM OF ACTION AS A GOVERNMENT.
"ABOVE ALL,
IT HAS NOT PREVENTED US FROM STICKING TO THE MOSI IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE OF ALL, THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG COME FIRST, HE SAID.
"
SIR DAVID SAID HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY DICTATED THAT HONG KONG WAS DEPENDENT ON CHINA.
AT THE SIMPLEST LEVEL, THAT MEANS THE TERRITORY RELIES ON CHINA TO PROVIDE TWO-THIRDS OF WATER AND A THIRD OF ITS DAILY FOOD SUPPLIES.
AT A MORE ELEVATED LEVEL, IT MEANS THAT INDEPENDENCE HAS NEVER BEEN AN OPTION FOR HONG KONG.
"AND WE HAVE ACCEPTED THAT AS A FACT OF LIFE.
ONLY
"THAT IN TURN HAS MEANT THAT WE COULD SURVIVE AND PROSPER IF WE ACTED IN A WAY THAT WAS NOT SEEN AS DETRIMENTAL OR THREATENING TO CHINA'S OVERRIDING NATIONAL INTERESTS, SIR DAVID SAID.
++
GOVT REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES
AT A MEETING WITH THE INDIAN RESOURCES GROUP TODAY (MONDAY), A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL REAFFIRMED HONG KONG'S SUPPORT FOR THE ETHNIC MINORITIES CASE FOR FULL BRITISH CITIZENSHIP BUT STRESSED THAT THE BASIC LAW IN ANY CASE GAVE LIBERAL GUARANTEES FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCY HERE.
DR SIMON VICKERS, PRINCIPAL ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SÉCURITY, HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE BASIC LAW OVER THE IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE.
HE POINTED OUT THAT NOT ONLY WERE THE FRW MINOR BRITISH PRIVILEGES IN THE LAW BEING REMOVED AS IN OTHER COLONIES, ALSO "THE BASIC LAW GIVES A BETTER SITUATION TO OTHER NATIONALITIES TIIAN AFTER INDEPENDENCE ELSEWHERE"
·
15,
RIGHT OF ABODE FOR ANYBODY
ACCORDING TO ARTICLE 24, ESSENTIALLY BASED ON SEVEN YEARS' STAY AND TAKING HONG KONG AS PLACE OF PERMANENT RESIDENCE, HE SAID.
/HE EXPLAINED