THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1994
MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT I HAVE PROMISED ON MANY OCCASIONS THAT
BECAME IF IT
NECESSARY FOR US TO PROCEED WITH THE REMAINING WITHOUT LEGISLATION
CHINESE
WOULD AGREEMENT, HONG KONG PEOPLE
BE ENTITLED TO EXPECT AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THAT WAS NECESSARY AND WHY WE
IT BELIEVED
THE TO BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.
BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL THEREFORE TODAY BE PUBLISHING A WHITE PAPER SETTING OUT THE BACKGROUND TO THE PRESENT POSITION; THE APPROACH WHICH THE BRITISH
NEGOTIATIONS SIDE TOOK IN THE
WITH CHINA;
THE AND
WHICH WE MODIFICATIONS
WERE PREPARED TO MAKE
HONG TO THE
KONG GOVERNMENT'S 1992 PROPOSALS AS PART OF AN OVERALL AGREEMENT INCLUDING ON THE THROUGH TRAIN. IT IS A THOROUGH, FACTUAL ACCOUNT. THE WHITE PAPER WILL BE PUBLISHED AT 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON. ITS PUBLICATION IS ESSENTIAL TO INFORM DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT, IN THIS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
LET ME SAY A WORD ABOUT WHY WE HAVE CHOSEN TO RECOMMEND TO THIS COUNCIL THE GOVERNMENT'S ORIGINAL, 1992, PROPOSALS. WE BELIEVED THEN, AND STILL BELIEVE, THAT THESE PROPOSALS ARE THE BEST ONES ON THE TABLE. THEY HAVE BEEN DEBATED AT LENGTH AND ALREADY ENDORSED, IN GENERAL TERMS, ON THREE OCCASIONS BY THIS COUNCIL. THESE PROPOSALS HAVE ENJOYED WIDESPREAD AND CONSISTENT SUPPORT AMONGST MOST SECTIONS OF THE COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO REGARD THEM AS THE BEST WAY ΤΟ SECURE OUR OBJECTIVE OF OPEN AND FAIR ELECTIONS.
WE WERE PREPARED TO OFFER DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS MODIFICATIONS TO OUR 1992 PROPOSALS TO SECURE AN OVERALL AGREEMENT WITH CHINA, INCLUDING ON THE THROUGH TRAIN. ALTHOUGH IT HAS NOT PROVED POSSIBLE TO REACH SUCH AN AGREEMENT WE OBVIOUSLY STAND BY THOSE MODIFIED PROPOSALS AS A WAY TO PRODUCE OPEN AND FAIR ELECTIONS, ALBEIT A LESS ATTRACTIVE WAY IN OUR VIEW THAN OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSALS. PLAINLY THE JUDGEMENT ON THESE MATTERS NOW LIES WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION. FOR OUR PART, SHALL ARGUE STRONGLY FOR THE LEGISLATION WE ARE NOW PUTTING FORWARD. THE PROPOSALS IT CONTAINS WERE DELIBERATELY FRAMED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE BASIC LAW AND THE RELEVANT AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE, AND WE ARE SUPPORTED IN THAT VIEW BY THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENT LEGAL OPINION.
WE
I WANT TO SAY TO THIS COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMUNITY HOW MUCH I REGRET THAT WE HAVE NOT MANAGED TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON THESE VERY DIFFICULT ELECTORAL ISSUES. I FERVENTLY WISH WE COULD HAVE DONE SO. BUT I EQUALLY FERVENTLY BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG TO ABANDON THE PRINCIPLES WE HAVE SET OUT FOR THE SAKE OF AN AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. THE WHITE PAPER SETS OUT CLEARLY THE ISSUES WHICH WERE - AND WHICH ARE AT STAKE HERE. I REGARD IT AS MY OVERRIDING RESPONSIBILITY FAITHFULLY TO IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, ON WHICH THE CONCEPT OF 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' IS BASED. THE JOINT DECLARATION PROMISES A LEGISLATURE "CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS" TO WHICH THE EXECUTIVE SHALL BE ACCOUNTABLE. I TAKE THAT TO MEAN REAL ELECTIONS,
IN WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE A GENUINE CHOICE. AS I HAVE EXPLAINED MANY TIMES BEFORE, IT IS UPON A CREDIBLE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, OPENLY FAIRLY ELECTED, THAT SO MANY OF OUR OTHER FREEDOMS AND INSTITUTIONS DEPEND.
AND
/SO WE