XN000022-1985-05-01 — Page 18

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1985

MRS FAN SAID IT WAS AN INDISPUTABLE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WERE BENT ON MAKING THE ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS CONCEPT WORK SUCCESSFULLY HERE, FOR THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY TO PRESERVE OUR LIFE STYLE AND TO ACHIEVE FUTURE PROGRESS.

+THERE IS NO LACK OF ENTHUSIASM AND MOTIVATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

*NOT TO TAP THIS RESOURCE AND UTILISE IT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT IS, TO SAY THE LEAST, HARDLY IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED, + HE SAID.

MRS FAN SAID THERE WAS ONE WIDELY SPECULATED, YET UNCONFIRMED, REASON FOR KEEPING A LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICER OUT OF THE GROUP THAT WAS MEMBERS OF EACH SIDE OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WERE DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS AND IT WAS DEEMED INAPPROPRIATE FOR A HONG KONG PERSON TO ACQUIRE THAT STATUS.

+THIS MAY BE A TECHNICAL POINT OF SOME VALIDITY, YET I BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, BEING VERY PRAGMATIC. WOULD APPRECIATE THAT WITHOUT THE SPIRIT OF MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION AND CO-OPERATION' AS DEMONSTRATED BY CHINA AND THE UK, THE REMARKABLE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION COULD NOT HAVE MATERIALISED, SHE SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WAS VERY IMPORTANT AND CRUCIAL TO THE WELL BEING OF HONG KONG.

IN ACHIEVING A SMOOTH WORKING RELATIONSHIP COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION MUST FORM A SIGNIFICANT PART, SHE SAID.

+SINCE THE COMMON OBJECTIVE OF ALL SIDES, NAMELY THE UK, CHINA AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, IS TO WORK FOR THE WELL BEING OF HONG KONG, THERE IS NO REASON WHY A WAY CANNOT BE FOUND SO THAT PRAGMATISM WOULD PREVAIL OVER DOCTRINAIRE AND THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS.

+AFTER ALL, THE JOINT DECLARATION HAS PROMISED A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997- THEREFORE IT IS ONLY APPROPRIATE TO GIVE MEANING TO THAT PROMISE BY INVOLVING LOCAL PEOPLE IN THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, SHE SAID.

SHE BELIEVED THAT THIS SENSIBLE APPROACH WOULD HELP TO ALLEVIATE ANY LINGERING DOUBT PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE JOINT DECLARATION.

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FURTHER IT WOULD ENHANCE CONFIDENCE AND DEMONSTRATE CHINA'S COMMITMENT TO AND SINCERITY IN IMPLEMENTING THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

/+IT IS