XN000022-1984-10-15 — Page 7

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1934

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SIX REASONS WHY AGREEMENT WILL STICK

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LYDIA DUNN

THERE WERE AT LEAST SIX REASONS WHY THE TERMS OF THE SINO- BRITISH DRAFT AGREEMENT WOULD BE FAITHFULLY IMPLEMENTED, THE HON LYDIA DUNN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (MONDAY).

MISS DUNN, SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ENDORSING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, SAID THE ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSED FOR

HONG KONG AS AN SAR UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY PROVIDED GOOD GROUNDS FOR BELIEVING THAT THERE WOULD BE A CONTINUITY OF ESTABLISHED SYSTEMS AND A PRESERVATION OF HONG KONG'S FAMILIAR LIFE-STYLE.

THEY SHOULD SECURE SOCIAL STABILITY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

BUT SHE SAID THE QUESTION REMAINED WHETHER THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT.

+

+AFTER ALL, THE POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES UNDERLYING CAPITAL ISM AND SOCIALISM ARE ESSENTIALLY INCOMPATIBLE AND, IN SAYING THAT I AM NOT MAKING ANY VALUE JUDGEMENT AS TO THE RELATIVE MERITS OF EITHER PHILOSOPHY, MISS DUNN SAID.

AS IMAGINATIVE AS THE +ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS+ CONCEPT MIGHT BE, IT WAS A UNIQUE AND UNTRIED CONCEPT DEVELOPED BY THE PRESENT LEADERSHIP IN CHINA.

GIVEN THE MANY DISCONTINUITIES WHICH HAD CHARACTERISED THE POLICIES PURSUED BY SUCCESSIVE LEADERSHIPS SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC, WHAT GUARANTEE WAS THERE THAT A FUTURE LEADERSHIP WOULD HONOUR THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT? SHE ASKED.

+SO THIS RESIDUAL QUESTION, BASED AS IT IS ON LEGITIMATE DOUBTS, IS A FAIR QUESTION AND DESERVES TO BE ANSWERED,+ MISS DUNN SAID.

+ BUT I BELIEVE, SHE WENT ON, THERE ARE AT LEAST SIX REASONS WHY THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT WILL BE FAITHFULLY IMPLEMENTED.

+FIRST: IT IS A FORMAL AND LEGALLY BINDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT FREELY NEGOTIATED, AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF FRIENDSHIP, BETWEEN TWO SOVEREIGN STATES.

+ IT MAY NOT BE LEGALLY ENFORCEABLE BUT, WHEN THE JOINT DECLARATION IS SIGNED, BOTH GOVERNMENTS WILL HAVE FORMALLY AGREED TO IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ITSELF AND ITS ANNEXES.

+THE HONOUR AND REPUTATION OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS WILL THEN BE COMMITTED INTERNATIONALLY.

/+TRK WORLD