XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 24

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985-

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VITAL NEW ROLE SEEN FOR UMELCO

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UMELCO'S ROLE IN THE NEXT 12-1/2 YEARS WOULD BE +EXTREMELY IMPORTANT*, THE HON F.K. HU SAID TODAY.

IT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A NEW CHALLENGING ROLE IN ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING MUTUAL TRUST, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND CORDIAL RELATIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID.

IT WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ADVISED OF THE FEELINGS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE CONCERNING CHINESE POLICIES, TO AVOID MISUNDERSTANDING ON BOTH SIDES.

MR HU WAS SPEAKING IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON THE MOTION ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.

+FURTHERMORE, UMELCO MUST BE FULLY AWARE OF CHINESE POLICIES WHETHER DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL, AS FAR AS THEY AFFECT HONG KONG, SO THAT IT MAY ADVISE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WHICH, IF NECESSARY, COULD MAKE SUITABLE ADJUSTMENTS IN POLICY ACCORDINGLY.

+A GOOD UNDERSTANDING THROUGH UMELCO AND THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP TO BE ESTABLISHED CAN ENSURE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT ALONG A WORKABLE AND ACCEPTABLE PATH WHICH WILL LEAD TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE SAR GOVERNMENT WITHOUT SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC CHANGES WHICH MIGHT HAVE A DISTURBING EFFECT, MR HU SAID.

HE ALSO AGREED WITH THE VIEW CONCERNING THE NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AT ALL LEVELS SO THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER ALL THE IMPLICATIONS AND COMPLEXITIES OF PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG+,

+THEY WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THE IR VIEWS MORE OPENLY ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND THE SYSTEM THEY PREFER.

+THEY WILL ALSO BE PLACED IN A BETTER POSITION TO VOTE FOR CANDIDATES WHO IN THE IR VIEW UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL COMPLEX SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITHOUT OVER-EMPHASIS ON BENEFIT FOR ANY PARTICULAR SECTOR,+ MR HU SAID.

DISCUSSING THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DECIDE THE RIGHT MIX AT THIS STAGE,

+WE MUST TRY AND TEST VARIOUS METHODS BEFORE WE CAN APRIVE AT A PROPER COMPOSITION OF A FULLY ELECTED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TWO OR THREE YEARS BEFORE 1997.

+BESIDES INDIRECT ELECTION THROUGH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, THERE WILL BE DIRECT ELECTION INTRODUCED AT A LATER STAGE AND THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM WILL HAVE TO BE PHASED OUT AND MAY BE REPLACED FY MORE OPEN CONSULTATIVE PROCEDURES IN FUTURE,+ HE SAID.

MR HU