XN000022-1984-08-08 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1934

RIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO COMMENT ON ACCORD

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BRAY

IT WAS RIGHT THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT FORMALLY ON THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY.

+PARLIAMENT, AND THE HONG KONG PEOPLE THEMSELVES WOULD EXPECT NO LESS, HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

MR BRAY WAS SPEAKING ON THE MOTION BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE HON LYDIA DUNN - WHICH HE SAID OFFICIAL MEMBERS SUPPORTED WELCOMING GOVERNMENT'S INITIATIVE TO TEST THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

THE GOVERNMENT, MR BRAY SAID, WOULD DO ITS PART TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTENTS OF THE AGREEMENT WERE WIDELY KNOWN AND WOULD CREATE AMPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.

+ IT IS UP TO THEM TO DO SO. THEREAFTER A CAREFUL AND IMPARTIAL ASSESSMENT WILL BE PREPARED AND PUBLISHED FOR ALL TO SEE,+ HE SAID.

A DRAFT AGREEMENT WOULD BE FIRST PUT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG +WITH A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF ITS IMPLICATIONS+, AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT IS PUBLISHED IN THE U.K. AS A WHITE PAPER,

IT WOULD BE INTRODUCED TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE GOVERNOR, WITH A STATEMENT, AND WOULD BE OPEN TO DEBATE.

MR BRAY SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S WIDE-RANGING AND SYSTEMATIC MECHANISM FOR MAINTAINING CLOSE AND CONSTANT TOUCH WITH OPINION WOULD BE BROUGHT INTO PLAY TO ASSESS CURRENT VIEWS ON KNOWN PROPOSALS.+

REFERRING TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, WHICH HE SAID WOULD OPERATE ENTIRELY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT AND ITS ORGANISATION, MR BRAY SAID IT WOULD ACT AS A RECEIVER OF VIEWS.

+WHEREAS THE GOVERNMENT MACHINE WILL BE ACTIVE, TRANSMITTING INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC AND STIMULATING COMMENT AND DISCUSSION, THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE WILL BE PASSIVE, ACTING AS A RECEIVER FOR THE VIEWS THAT WILL EMERGE.

+ ITS PRIME FUNCTION WILL BE TO RECEIVE AND ANALYSE ALL EXPRESSIONS OF VIEWS UPON THE INITIALLED AGREEMENT.

THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, MR BRAY SAID, WOULD +COLLATE, SUMMARISE, ANALYSE AND ASSESS ALL THOSE VIEWS.+

/+BUT IT