THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1993
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CREDIBLE LEGISLATURE FUNDAMENTAL FOR HK: GOVERNOR
THE
A CREDIBLE LEGISLATURE IS FUNDAMENTAL TO THE CONTINUATION OF RULE OF LAW AND THE WAY OF LIFE OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT. HON. CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
"NOT A WHOLLY DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE, NOT NECESSARILY LEGISLATURE MODELLED PRECISELY ON THE WESTMINSTER MODEL.
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"BUT A LEGISLATURE TO WHICH THE ELECTIONS ARE CLEAN, NOT COMPROMISED; ELECTIONS IN WHICH PEOPLE HAVE A GENUINE CHOICE, HE
SAID.
DUTCH
HE
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WAS ADDRESSING A JOINT LUNCHEON BY THE FRENCH, GERMAN AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS.
MR PATTEN SAID IF ELECTIONS WERE NOT OPEN AND FAIR, IF THE ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE WERE COMPROMISED, IF ELECTIONS WERE ARRANGED IN A MANNER WHICH WOULD TILT THE RESULT IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER, AND IF THE PEOPLE OF A GENUINE FREE CHOICE WERE DEPRIVED OF AT THE BALLOT BOX, THEN:
"YOU SET OFF A PROCESS THAT COULD ULTIMATELY UNRAVEL THE ENTIRE RULE OF LAW IN HONG KONG.
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IF HONG KONG IS TO CONTINUE TO BE THE ATTRACTIVE LOCATION FOR INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS AS WELL AS A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE IN, IT MUST HAVE VIGOROUS, HEALTHY INSTITUTIONS AS THE JOINT DECLARATION ENVISAGED.
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IT
"AND THAT MEANS A VIGOROUS DARE
SAY I
IT,
OCCASIONALLY
TIRESOME
AND LEGISLATURE, IT MEANS A SOUND, CLEAN GOVERNMENT, MEANS A FREE, INQUISITIVE PRESS," HE ADDED.
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THE
HE POINTED OUT THAT ALL THESE THINGS STOOD TOGETHER. THINGS THAT HAD HELPED TO MAKE THIS PLACE A SERIOUSLY BUSINESS LOCATION.
THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL
ON THE WORLD TRADING ORDER, MR PATTEN SAID HONG KONG LIVED BY THE GATT RULES. HONG KONG AS MUCH AS ANYONE HAD A VITAL INTEREST IN A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION TO THE URUGUAY ROUND.
HE DESCRIBED AS SPECIOUS THE ARGUMENT THAT THE ONLY WAY TO SAFEGUARD EUROPEAN SOCIAL MARKET ECONOMIES WAS TO APPLY A BIT OF PROTECTION.
NOTING THAT THE ARGUMENT WOULD DO EUROPE ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD, MR PATTEN SAID EUROPE ABOVE ALL SHOULD BE IDEOLOGICALLY FREE TRADING
IN
THE YEARS AHEAD.
HE HOPES FROM ONE ANOTHER.
THAT EUROPE AND ASIA CAN WORK TOGETHER ΤΟ LEARN
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