XN000022-1985-05-01 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1985

+1 AM SURE SHE WILL NOT OBJECT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CONTRIBUTING DIRECTLY IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION UP TO THE YEAR 2000.

+ IN ANY CASE, ONE HAS A FEELING THAT 'OBJECTIONS FROM CHINA HAVE BEEN USED TOO FREQUENTLY THAT IT HAS LOST ITS CREDIBILITY, + HE SAID.

MR CHEUNG SAID THERE WERE SUSPICIONS IN THE PAST OF HMG'S INTENTION OR EFFORTS IN LOOKING AFTER THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG IN ENACTING THE BRITISH NATIONALITY ACT AND DURING THE NEGOTIATIONS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.

THE SAME SUSPICION WOULD ARISE AGAIN IF THERE WAS NO LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

+ THE RESULT WILL BE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE CONFIDENCE

WHICH HAS JUST RETURNED, HE SAID.

LORD KADOOR IE HAD GIVEN A WARNING IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS RECENTLY, REMINDING HMG THAT IT MUST NOT NEGLECT THE FEELINGS IN HONG KONG A FEELING OF A CHILD BEING ABANDONED BY ITS PARENTS.

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+1 MUST REPEAT THAT WARNING AGAIN FOR THE SAKE OF EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD, + MR CHEUNG SAID.

IT WAS AN IRONY THAT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAD THE POWER TO ALLOW THIS BILL TO PASS TO ENABLE THE FORMATION OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, BUT HAD NO SAY AT ALL ON THE PERSONS WHO SHOULD REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG WHEN THE AFFAIRS OF HONG KONG ALONE WOULD BE DISCUSSED IN THE GROUP.

+1 WOULD HAVE ABSTAINED FROM VOTING IF NOT FOR THE SAKE OF SHOWING MY COMMITMENT TO MAKE THE JOINT DECLARATION WORK, + MR CHEUNG SAID.

ECHOING MR CHEUNG'S WORDS, THE HON MRS RITA FAN SAID THERE HAD BEEN CONSIDERABLE SPECULATION AND COMMENT IN THE LOCAL PRESS DURING THE PAST FEW WEEKS, CONCENTRATING MAINLY ON THE PERSONALITIES, WHILST MISSING OUT ON THE REASON WHY IT WAS OF SIGNIFICANCE TO HAVE LOCAL PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE GROUP AS FULL MEMBERS.

SHE SAID THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAD ACCEPTED THE AGREEMENT AS A GOOD ONE AND SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION WOULD DEPEND ON THEIR CONTINUING TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS SO.

+ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE AYS TO ACHIEVE THAT IS T. ALLOW LOCAL PEOPLE, SAY ONE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICER AT THIS STAGE, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AS AN ILLUSTRATION THAT THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG WOULD BE ADEQUATELY REFLECTED, FULLY RESPECTED AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THROUGHOUT THE TRANSITION PERIOD, + SHE SAID.

/MKS FAN