1
GOVERNOR AT LEGCO
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1993
2
THE
THE
GOVERNOR'S
IS FOLLOWING COUNCIL THIS (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON:
MR
PRESIDENT,
I
SHOULD
STATEMENT
TO LEGISLATIVE
LIKE TO
MAKE A
STATEMENT
ON THE
ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994 AND 1995.
BEEN CONTINUING FOR THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS, NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DISTRICT BOARD IN ELECTIONS IN 1994 AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND LEGCO ELECTIONS
POSSIBLE ΤΟ REACH 1995. AFTER 17 ROUNDS, IT HAS STILL NOT PROVED AGREEMENT, EVEN ON THE MOST URGENT AND UNCONTROVERSIAL ISSUES.
THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE NOT ABOUT THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION IN THERE IS NO HONG KONG, THOUGH SOME OF YOU THINK THEY SHOULD BE. ARGUMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA OVER THE PRINCIPLE THAT HONG KONG'S THAT IS SPELT OUT DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP.
1997 THE IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, WHICH PROVIDES THAT FROM 1 JULY
CHINA'S OWN LEGCO OF THE SAR "SHALL BE CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS" BASIC LAW FOR THE HONG KONG SAR SETS OUT THAT PROCESS DEVELOPMENT IN GREATER DETAIL.
OF DEMOCRATIC
PRACTICE.
ΤΟ ACHIEVE SUPPORT OF THE WERK HONG KONG,
DECLARATION, BETWEEN
THE RECENT COMMITTEE OF
WHAT IS AT ISSUE IS HOW TO TURN THIS PRINCIPLE INTO IN OCTOBER 1992 I SET OUT A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS DESIGNED THAT. THOSE PROPOSALS, PUT FORWARD WITH THE FULL BRITISH
IN AND GOVERNMENT
AFTER CONSULTATIONS CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO BE FULLY CONSISTENT WITH THE JOINT THE BASIC LAW AND THE RELEVANT AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS THE TWO SIDES, AN OBJECTIVE WHICH AS WAS CONFIRMED BY EVIDENCE OF INDEPENDENT LAWYERS TO THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS
BUT WE ALWAYS MADE CLEAR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS - WAS WHOLLY ACHIEVED. THAT THEY WERE PROPOSALS, WHICH WE WISHED TO DISCUSS WITH THE SIDE. OUR CLEAR PREFERENCE IS TO PROCEED BY AGREEMENT WHEREVER WE CAN, IN THE INTERESTS OF CONTINUITY. THAT PRESSED HARD FOR TALKS ON THESE MATTERS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA, AND WERE PLEASED WHEN THEY EVENTUALLY BEGAN IN THE SPRING.
WHAT
IS
OUR AIM IN THESE TALKS?
VERY
CHINESE
WITH CHINA,
IS WHY WE
IT IS
SIMPLY THIS:
ΤΟ ACCEPTABLE
THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE OPEN, FAIR AND
A GENUINE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE WANT ELECTIONS THAT OFFER PEOPLE CHOICE, NOT ELECTIONS VULNERABLE TO MANIPULATION AND CORRUPTION.
—
IS WHY DOES THIS MATTER? IT MATTERS FOR THIS REASON: IF THERE
THERE NO LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR THE ELECTIONS TO LEGCO, WHAT HOPE IS
IN THE COURTS, IN THE OF PRESERVING A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD ELSEWHERE
COMPROMISE IF YOU
THE BUSINESS WORLD, FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN?
THEN YOU ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATURE WHOSE JOB IT IS TO MAKE LAWS,
THAT IS SURELY ERODE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE RULE OF LAW IN HONG KONG.
WHEN THEY NOT WHAT THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAD IN MIND
THE SAR LEGCO SHOULD "BE AGREED IN
DECLARATION THAT THE JOINT CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS".
WE ARE APPROACHING THESE NEGOTIATIONS IN GOOD FAITH. THIS COUNCIL IN OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE OFFERED MAJOR MOVES
ON CONCERNS, CONDITIONAL TRY TO MEET
ACCEPTABLE
CHINESE
OVERALL
AND AGREEMENT,
WITHOUT
AS I TOLD
TO
OUR COMPROMISING
REACHING
AN
ON
OUR
PRINCIPLES.
/BUT WE