XN000022-1984-10-15 — Page 15

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984

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HE SAID PEOPLE WERE ANXIOUS TO KNOW WHETHER CONSCRIPTION IN THE HONG KONG SAR WOULD BE ADMINISTERED AT ALL.

HE APPEALED FOR THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF PROVIDING SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, INCLUDING THE FUNDING OF SERVICES, THE ROLE PLAYED BY GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY WELFARE AGENCIES AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER SOCIAL SYSTEMS TO BE ENSHRINED IN THE BASIC LAW.

+ IN ADDITION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEEK SOME CLARIFICATION ABOUT THE EXTENT OF LEGAL BINDING EFFECTS ON THE TWO GOVERNMENTS IA RESPECT OF THE NATIONALITY ISSUE, WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN THE EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA,+ HE SAID.

DR HO ANALYSED THE DRAFT AGREEMENT FROM THREE ASPECTS CONTENT, IMPLICATION OF ACCEPTANCE AND ENFORCEABILITY.

+TO ME,+ DR HO SAID, THE DRAFT AGREEMENT IS ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTINUATION OF PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG WELL INTO THE 21ST CENTURY AND FOR THE PRESERVATION OF OUR LIFESTYLE.

+IT IS IN OUR INTEREST TO MAKE THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WORK, AND IT IS UP TO US TO TAKE OPTIMUM ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE CREATED BY THIS HISTORIC DOCUMENT, HE ADDED.

HE STRESSED IT WAS VITAL THAT PEOPLE AIR THEIR VIEWS AS THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WOULD AFFECT EVERYONE IN HONG KONG FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

+OUR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT DEFICIENCIES OR OMISSIONS WILL BE MONITORED BY THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE AND WILL SERVE AS SOURCES OF REFERENCE FOR THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE.

+THESE VIEWS WILL EVENTUALLY BE RELAYED TO THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS, WHICH I AM SURE WILL CONSIDER THEM IN THE SAME SPIRIT OF MUTUAL COOPERATION AND MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION, HE SAID.

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