XN000022-1984-10-15 — Page 16

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984

BE POSITIVE, ALLEN LEE URGES HK PEOPLE

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WE MUST CONTINUALLY REMIND OURSELVES OF CHINA'S COMMITMENT TOWARDS +ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS+, SAID THE HON ALLEN LEE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT TODAY (MONDAY).

HE SAID HE WAS CONVINCED THAT WE SHOULD BE POSITIVE AND DETERMINED TO STRIVE FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE.

+WE SHOULD VOICE OUR OPINIONS CLEARLY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY AND ESTABLISH MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND TRUST, HE ADDED.

MR LEE SAID HE WOULD BE DISHONEST IF HE WERE TO SAY THAT ALL HIS CONCERNS ABOUT THIS CONCEPT HAD BEEN ALLEVIATED BY THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AND HE BELIEVED THAT MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG SHARED THE SAME VIEW.

HOWEVER, HAVING LISTENED TO AND OBSERVED WHAT CHINESE LEADERS HAD BEEN SAYING ON THIS SUBJECT AND WHAT PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG TOLD THE DELEGATION LED BY SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, OF WHICH HE (MR LEE) WAS A MEMBER, HE BELIEVED THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE MUST VIEW IT POSITIVELY AND CONTRIBUTE OUR PART TO ASSURE THAT HONG KONG WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW IN THE FUTURE.

ON THE ISSUE OF MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY ANDM STABILITY, MR LEE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG'S PAST SUCCESS WAS DUE FIRST TO THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT AND ITS POLICIES, SECOND, TO AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY THAT GUARANTEED THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE; AND, THIRD, TO INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG WHICH WOULD LEAD TO THEIR CONTINUED INVESTMENT AND IN TURN PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE.

HE STRESSED THAT THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG MUST HAVE CREDIBILITY IN THE EYES OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE AND MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THEM.

+EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT MUST BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE BEIJING GOVERNMENT.

+ IN MY OPINION, IT IS NOT EASY TO ACHIEVE A CREDIBLE GOVERNMENT UNLESS WE CONSCIENTIOUSLY AND GRADUALLY EVOLVE INTO A GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM THAT IS TRULY SERVING THE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, + HE SAID, ADDING THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER THE OPINIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

AS FOR THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997, HE SAID A FRIEND OF HIS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION BELIEVED THAT THE LEGAL PROFESSION WOULD ACCEPT THIS DRAFT AGREEMENT.

/ON THE