XN000022-1984-10-16 — Page 14

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1984

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+SO I AM OF THE VIEW THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MUST NOT IN ANY WAY INTERVENE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THAT THE TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE GROUP MUST BE CLEARLY DEF INED, SO THAT ITS ACTIVITIES ARE STRICTLY CONFINED TO THE FRAME AS LAID DOWN IN THE AGREEMENT. AND THAT IT MUST NOT TO GO BEYOND ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE,+ HE SAID.

HE SAID ESTABLISHMENT OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CHINA TO DEMONSTRATE ITS ASSURANCE OF NON-INTERFERENCE IN THE INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT ALSO PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE TO SEE CHINA'S BASIC POLICIES AND ATTITUDE TOWARDS HONG KONG

+AS THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE SOCIETY AND SYSTEMS BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG, WHETHER THE ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' CONCEPT IS FEASIBLE OR NOT RESTS MAINLY ON CHINA'S PART TO BACK UP HER POLICIES WITH FACTS, WHICH WILL SERVE TO STRENGTHEN HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONF IDENCÉ.

+ IN VIEW OF THIS, THE WORK AND ACTIONS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP CAN ALSO SERVE AS A TOUCHSTONE TO TEST CHINA'S SINCERITY TOWARDS THE AGREEMENT,+ MR CHAN SAID.

HE FELT THAT WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG NOW HOPED FOR WAS A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN THE NEXT 13 YEARS DURING WHICH THEY COULD LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

+1 AM PLEASED TO SEE SUCH A DETAILED AGREEMENT AND I HOPE THAT IT WOULD BE FAITHFULLY IMPLEMENTED, HE SAID.

PEOPLE SHOULD SET THE IR HEARTS AT EASE

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PAULINE NG

A WIDE RANGE OF FREEDOMS HAVE BEEN GUARANTEED IN THE SINO- BRITISH DRAFT AGREEMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD SET THE IR HEARTS AT EASE, THE HON PAUL INE NG SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ENDORSING THE DRAFT AGREEMENT, SHE SAID:

+FOR ONE THING, THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT IS LEGALLY BINDING IN ITSELF TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE PROVISIONS WILL BE CARRIED OUT.

/+BESIDES, IT ...................