SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1993
2
GOVT COMMENTS ON STATEMENT BY HK & MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE
*
MADE
THE FOLLOWING MACAU AFFAIRS
A
SPOKESMAN TODAY (SATURDAY) GOVERNMENT COMMENTS ON THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG AND OFFICE YESTERDAY. THE SPOKESMAN SAID:
"OUR OBJECTIVE IN
STARTING THE LEGISLATIVE
PROCESS ON THE OURSELVES
SIMPLE ISSUES RELATING TO THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS IS TO GIVE MORE TIME TO REACH AGREEMENT ON THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES CONCERNING THESE ELECTIONS. WE HAVE MADE CLEAR FROM THE OUTSET OF THE
THAT SEPARATING TALKS
THE DISTRICT BOARD AND MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS FROM THOSE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD NOT BUY US MORE TIME. THE GOVERNOR SET OUT CLEARLY THE REASONS FOR THIS IN HIS STATEMENT TO LEGCO ON THURSDAY.
ON
WE HAVE MADE VERY CLEAR THAT WE WISH THE TALKS TO CONTINUE
ANYTHING ABOUT THE THE
ISSUES. SO WE DO NOT WANT TO SAY REMAINING DETAIL OF THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WOULD IMPERIL THAT PROSPECT.
-
HOWEVER WHILE RESERVING OUR POSITION TO SAY MORE AT A DATE IF NECESSARY WE WANT TO MAKE TWO POINTS AT THIS STAGE.
FUTURE
LAST
IS
BE
FIRST, THE CHINESE ACCOUNT IN THE HKMAO STATEMENT OF THE STAGE OF THE TALKS IS FAR FROM BEING A FULL AND FRANK ACCOUNT. IT
AFTER ROUND
THOUGHT TRUE THAT
IT SHOULD 15 THE BRITISH SIDE POSSIBLE TO REACH AN INTERIM AGREEMENT. TO GAIN ANY TIME FOR FURTHER HAVE DISCUSSION OF THE MORE DIFFICULT ISSUES SUCH AN AGREEMENT WOULD HAD TO INCLUDE THE VOTING AGE AND VOTING METHOD FOR
COUNCIL
THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR
BUT ELECTIONS.
AS WELL
COUNCIL
AS
THE CASE
THE LEGISLATIVE BOARD AND DISTRICT
MUNICIPAL
THAT OPTIMISM IN ANY
WAS SIDE CHINESE
MADE DESTROYED IN THE 16TH AND 17TH ROUNDS WHEN THE
HAVE HAD SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES IN THEIR POSITION. THOSE CHANGES WOULD
OF THE OF ERODING THE AUTONOMY THE EFFECT HAD WE AGREED TO THEM
COULD SAR,
AS SET OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW. WE NOT HAVE AGREED TO THIS.
SECOND,
THE
IS
BEFORE
AND
THE
MUCH OF THE CHINESE STATEMENT DERIDES THE ROLE OF COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE
IN
CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION HONG KONG. THE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR ON THIS SCORE. BRITAIN IS THE SOVEREIGN POWER JULY 1, 1997; CHINA IS THE SOVEREIGN THEREAFTER. BUT BOTH BEFORE
ΤΟ THE
THE AFTER
LEGISLATURE. EXECUTIVE IS ACCOUNTABLE 1997 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAS THE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ENACTING ELECTORAL LEGISLATION AND OTHER LEGISLATION. THE LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. IT IS FAR FROM HELPFUL INACCURATE
TO PORTRAY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS A
COUNCIL AND IT IS MERE RUBBER
STAMP,"
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