XN000022-1985-01-10 — Page 22

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985

AS REGARDS THE 12 MEMBERS TO BE ELECTED BY THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, MR POON SAID THIS WOULD GO A CONSIDERABLE WAY TO MEETING THOSE WHO WANTED TO SEE MORE ELECTED MEMBERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

ON THE ELECTION OF 10 MEMBERS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BY THE DISTRICT BOARDS ON BALANCED GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION, HE SUGGESTED THAT IN THE 1987 REVIEW CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO ONE MEMBER FOR EACH DISTRICT BOARD.

CHINA-HK TIES MUST BE STRENGTHENED

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THE GOVERNMENT MUST CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG TO ENSURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM TO BE IMPLEMENTED WILL EXTEND BEYOND 1997, THE HON YEUNG PO-KWAN STATED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

SPEAK ING IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION ON THE WHITE PAPER, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO HELP THE PEOPLE MAINTAIN FREQUENT CONTACTS WITH CHINA SO AS TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM.

IN ORDER TO ENSURE A

+WE SHOULD APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, SMOOTH TRANSITION BETWEEN NOW AND 1997, ALL POLITICAL REFORMS IN HONG KONG MUST BE IN KEEPING WITH THE FUTURE BASIC LAW AND THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION,+ HE SAID.

MR YEUNG SAID THE PRESENT WHITE PAPER COULD ONLY BE TAKEN AS THE FIRST WHITE PAPER, TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE SECOND AFTER THE REVIEW IN 1987 AND THE THIRD AFTER THE SECOND REVIEW.

+ IT IS VITAL THAT AT THE PRELIMINARY STAGE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ADOPT A CAUTIOUS APPROACH BY PROGRESSING STEP BY STEP.

+BUT AS EXPERIENCE ACCUMULATES AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEM IS ACQUIRED, A MORE OPEN AND FAR-SIGHTED APPROACH SHOULD BE TAKEN IN DRAFTING THE SECOND OR EVEN THE THIRD WHITE PAPER TO ENSURE AN EARLY REALISATION OF THE ULTIMATE AIMS OF THE GREEN PAPER, HE STRESSED.

AS REGARDS ELECTION, HE DESCRIBED THE PROPOSAL IN THE WHITE PAPER AS A SENSIBLE AND PROGRESSIVE WAY OF DOING THINGS.

HE SAID THAT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTED BY ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES MUST BE TIOUS AND OBJECTIVE. THEY MUST BE PERFECTLY IMPARTIAL AND E SURE THAT ALL THE REASONABLE POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT COULD KEEP A BALANCED DEVELOPMENT WITH DUE REGARD TO ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY,

/MR

MR YEUNG .***