XN000022-1984-05-30 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 1984

+THE MATTERS THEY RAISED IN THE COURSE OF THAT VISIT WERE THOSE WHICH UMELCO MEMBERS PUT FORWARD. THEY WERE DOING NO MORE THAN EXERCISING THE FREEDOM ENJOYED BY ALL PEOPLE IN THIS TERRITORY TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS, MR THOMAS SAID.

HE NOTED THERE WERE THOSE IN LONDON WHO QUESTIONED THE UNOFFICIALS' RIGHT TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

BUT AS MR T.S. LO AND MRS PAULINE NG HAD POINTED OUT, UNOFFICIALS HAD NEVER CLAIMED THAT STATUS OR AUTHORITY.+

THE

+ALL THEY HAVE EVER DONE IS TO CLAIM THE RIGHT TO PRESENT OR REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+THAT RIGHT CAN BE CLAIMED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SPOKESMEN ARE ELECTED TO OFFICE, APPOINTED TO OFFICE OR HAVE OCCUPIED NO OFFICE AT ALL. THE SPOKESMEN NEED ONLY BE HONEST AND WELL INFORMED AND NO-ONE CAN DENY THAT UNOFFICIALS ARE BOTH, + MR THOMAS SAID.

ON THE GOVERNMENT'S FORTHCOMING GREEN PAPER ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE ALONG REPRESENTATIVE LINES, MR THOMAS SAID THE PAPER +IS BUT ONE EXAMPLE OF THE MANY OPPORTUNITIES WHICH WILL EXIST AND WHICH WILL NEED TO BE GRASPED TO BUILD ON HONG KONG'S PAST SUCCESSES AND PRESENT STRENGTHS TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG ITSELF IS AS WELL PREPARED AS POSSIBLE TO FACE THE FUTURE.+

AT THE DEBATE, MISS DUNN HAD UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF AN AGREEMENT IN PROVIDING THE VRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH HONG KONG MIGHT DEVELOP AND FLOURISH AND WITHIN WHICH THE CONTINUITY OF ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS COULD BE ASSURED, HE SAID.

+THE BEST ASSURANCE OF THIS LIES IN THE CONCLUSION OF A BINDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT IN WHICH ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY, BASED ON A SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, ARE FORMALLY RECORDED WITH CLARITY AND PRECISION.

SIDE.

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+AS MEMBERS WILL KNOW, THIS IS THE OBJECTIVE OF THE BRITISH

+ IN THAT RESPECT. UNOFFICIALS MAY FEEL WELL SATISFIED THAT ONE OF THE IR MAIN CONCERNS IS FULLY SHARED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

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