XN000022-1985-01-09 — Page 8

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1985

+THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PUBLISH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) BILL IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE FOR PUBLIC İNFORMATION, AND TO INTRODUCE IT INTO THIS COUNCIL FOR DEBATE, WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, SUBJECT, OF COURSE, TO THE PRIOR APPROVAL OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

CONCLUSION

+SIR, I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE PLANS AND INTENTIONS DESCRIBED IN THE WHITE PAPER WILL SET US FIRMLY ON THE ROAD TOWARDS MEETING OUR STATED OBJECTIVES OF ROOTING THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG FIRMLY IN HONG KONG AND OF DEVELOPING AN ACCEPTABLE AND RESPECTED CHANNEL FOR THE AUTHORITATIVE EXPRESSION OF THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG WILL THEREBY BECOME MORE DIRECTLY AND WILL BE SEEN TO BE MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THUS, SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WILL BE MADE TOWARDS ACHIEVING THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE OF THE WHITE PAPER WHICH IS TO PREPARE THE COMMUNITY FOR THE NEW POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FUTURE.

+ACCORDINGLY, SIR, I COMMEND THE WHITE PAPER TO HONOURABLE MEMBERS FOR THE IR APPROVAL.+

UK BILL TO END SOVEREIGNTY WILL BE PUBLISHED HERE

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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD ENSURE THAT THE CONTENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM BILL TO PROVIDE FOR TERMINATION OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, WOULD BE MADE WIDELY KNOWN IN HONG KONG, ONCE IT IS PUBLISHED THERE, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, SAID TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON JOHN SWAINE, SIR PHILIP QUOTED THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, AS HAVING SAID IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS ON DECEMBER 5 LAST YEAR, WHEN THE HONG KONG AGREEMENT WAS BEING DEBATED, THAT THE UK WOULD BRING FORWARD LEGISLATION EARLY THIS YEAR FOR THE TERMINATION OF SOVEREIGNTY.

THE LEGISLATION WOULD ALSO PROVIDE POWERS TO MAKE OTHER CHANGES TO THE LAW, INCLUDING THE NATIONALITY LAW, WHICH WOULD BE NECESSARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION OF SOVEREIGNTY, SIR GEOFFREY HAD SAID.

AS THE LEGISLATION WOULD BE AN ACT OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT. SIR PHILIP SAID, HE WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO ANTICIPATE ITS CONTENTS.

+ BUT I CAN ASSURE MR SWAINE THAT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE FORM OF A BILL UPON ITS INTRODUCTION INTO PARLIAMENT.

/+THIL WILL