14
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1986
INTERJECTION SO YOU SEE IT IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE OF HK.
MR RENTON: PLEASE DO NOT PUT WORDS INTO MY MOUTH. THAT MAY BE WHAT YOU'D LIKE ME TO SAY, BUT I'M NOT SAYING IT. IF YOU WISH TO INDULGE IN INSULTS, THAT'S YOUR PRIVILEGE, BUT IF YOU WANT A CLEAR ANSWER YOU'D BETTER LISTEN TO ME. WE ALL KNOW THE POSITION OF LEGCO AT THE MOMENT, THAT IT IS A MIXTURE OF OFFICIALS, APPOINTED MEMBERS, APPOINTED UNOFFICIALS AND ELECTED UNOFFICIALS. THIS IS A VERY ÚNIQUE COMPOSITION. I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY IN THE WORLD THAT IS LIKE THIS, BUT IT HAS EVOLVED AS APPROPRIATE TO THE UNIQUE SYSTEM OF HK AND I AM SURE THAT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE EQUALLY, MUST BE EQUALLY APPROPRIATE, TO THE SYSTEM OF HK BECAUSE YOU ARE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION.
Q.
WITH RESPECT MR RENTON, THAT WASN'T THE QUESTION. THE QUESTION WAS IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT LISTENING TO LEGCO AND IS IT OBLIGED TO DO WHAT LEGCO ASKS IT TO DO NOW?
MR RENTON YOU ARE TO THE QUESTION THAT
I'M VERY SORRY SIR, I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD THE ANSWER I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE AND FAIR IN THE CONTEXT OF THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF HK, NOT ONLY THE PAST BUT THE FUTURE. BUT IF YOU READ THE DEBATES IN BOTH THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE HOUSE OF LORDS, THE DEBATES RECENTLY, YOU WILL SEE THAT THE VIEWS OF LEGCO CERTAINLY COUNT IN LONDON BECAUSE THEY WERE FREQUENTLY QUOTED IN THAT DEBATE. LEGCO MEMBERS COME OVER TO LONDON TO LOBBY US, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, SO ANY IDEA THAT WE'RE IGNORING LEGCO, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SUGGEST - I HOPE YOU'RE NOT - THAT'S QUITE INACCURATE.
Q. THE MAJORITY OF OUR REQUESTS WERE REJECTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. THIS LAST REQUEST WAS REJECTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT.
MR RENTON: FORGIVE ME, SIR. NOTHING HAS BEEN REJECTED. YOU MUST SEE THAT FROM THE STATEMENT I MADE THIS MORNING. THERE WILL BE COPIES AVAILABLE AT THE END, BUT I MADE IT ABUNDANTLY PLAIN IN THAT STATEMENT THAT THESE REQUESTS THAT CAME THROUGH ON THE THREE POINTS ARE ALL BEING CONSIDERED. SPECIFICALLY ON THE QUESTION OF THE ENDORSEMENT, I REPEAT THE WORDS I SAID EARLIER, THAT ON THE QUESTION OF THE ENDORSEMENT, PROVIDED A SATISFACTORY FORMULA CAN BE FOUND HMG WILL AGREE TO THE POSITION BEING MADE CLEAR IN THE PASSPORT. THAT SHOWS THE DEGREE, IN ANSWER TO YOU, THAT WE ARE LISTENING TO LEGCO AS WELL AS TO THE VIEWS OF HK THAT MAY BE EXPRESSED THROUGH OTHER DIRECTIONS AS WELL,
MR ROBERTS THANK YOU, WE HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE TO GO TO THE AIRPORT.
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