XN000022-1984-07-19 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1984

FOREIGN SECRETARY'S STATEMENT ON GREEN PAPER

***

SIR GEOFFREY HOWE MADE A STATEMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT YESTERDAY (JULY 18).

QUESTION:

TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS IF HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, TO BE PUBLISHED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON JULY 18.

ANSWER 1

THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE TODAY PUBLISHING A GREEN PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN THE TERRITORY. COPIES OF THIS PAPER HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE LIBRARY OF THE HOUSE. THE MAIN AIMS OF THE PROPOSALS ARE: TO DEVELOP PROGRESSIVELY A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THE AUTHORITY FOR WHICH IS CLEARLY ROOTED IN HONG KONG, WHICH IS ABLE TO REPRESENT AUTHORITATIVELY THE VIEW OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND WHICH IS MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG: TO BUILD THIS SYSTEM ON THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAVE SERVED HONG KONG WELL, AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE PRESERVE THEIR BEST FEATURES: AND TO ALLOW FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IF THAT SHOULD BE THE WISH OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY. THIS GRADUAL APPROACH BUILDS ON EXISTING AND WELL TRIED SYSTEMS RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING A MORE RADICAL APPROACH WITH ITS ATTENDANT RISKS DURING A SENSITIVE PERIOD OF TRANSITION IN THE LIFE OF THE TERRITORY.

THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSES THAT ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO PROVIDE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO BE ELECTED INDIRECTLY BY AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE COMPOSED OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL, AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS, AND BY SPECIFIED FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. TO START WITH, THESE ARRANGMENTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED IN TWO STAGES - IN 1985 AND 1988 - FOLLOWING THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS IN THOSE YEARS. IN 1989, AFTER THE 1988 ELECTIONS TO THE COUNCIL HAVE TAKEN PLACE, THERE SHOULD BE A REVIEW OF THE POSITION WITH A VIEW TO DECIDING WHAT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS SHOULD BE PURSUED.

THE PAPER