XN000022-1988-03-17 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1988

CS: PRUDENT, GRADUAL APPROACH IN HK'S BEST INTERESTS

THE LEGISLATIVE

CONVINCED THAT

THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID IN COUNCIL TONIGHT (THURSDAY) THAT HE IS MORE THAN EVER THE PRUDENT AND GRADUAL APPROACH ADOPTED IN THE WHITE PAPER ON DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS IN THE BEST HONG KONG.

INTERESTS OF

SPEAKING AT THE END OF THE TWO-DAY DEBATE ON THE WHITE PAPER, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS CLEAR THAT MOST MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NOW ACCEPTED THAT IT WAS RIGHT TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991.

H

"I AM GREATLY ENCOURAGED BY THE SUPPORT THAT 30 MANY MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN TO THE PROPOSALS IN THE WHITE PAPER, AND TO THE RECOGNITION THAT THE COURSE ON WHICH WE HAVE EMBARKED IN FURTHER

ww HE SAID. DEVELOPING REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IS THE RIGHT ONE,

SIR DAVID SAID HE HAD BEEN STRUCK BY TWO BROAD THEMES THAT

HAD

EMERGED.

THE FIRST RELATED TO THE QUESTION OF "WHERE WE GO FROM HERE".

SIR DAVID SAID THAT AS MANY MEMBERS HAD SAID, DECISIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN. THE GOVERNMENT HAD GIVEN A FIRM AND UNEQUIVOCAL COMMITMENT TO INTRODUCE 10 DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS TO THE COUNCIL PLANNING FOR THOSE ELECTIONS SHOULD START NOW.

IN 1991,

AND

BUT HE SAID THERE WERE SOME WHO SEEMED TO FEEL THAT FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 MUST CONTINUE.

THE FIGHT

AND

THE

"THAT WILL FRANKLY BE RATHER POINTLESS AND UNPRODUCTIVE WOULD ALSO ASK THOSE WHO ARE THAT WAY INCLINED TO CONSIDER CONSEQUENCES OF CONTINUING THEIR CAMPAIGN, HE SAID.

PEOPLE INVOLVED,

t

SIR DAVID WENT ON: "I DO NOT QUESTION THE MOTIVES OF THE

BUT IT IS A FACT THAT' PRESS

OF PICTURES DEMONSTRATIONS OUTSIDE THIS CHAMBER HAVE GONE AROUND THE WORLD ON INTERNATIONAL WIRE SERVICES.

YOUNG

THE

THE

KNOW FOR AND NO ONE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THIS CHAMBER CAN

THE PICTURES WHAT EFFECT

WILL HAVE ON THE

OF IMAGE

HONG

OVERSEAS.

SURE KONG

THAT

THE

SIR DAVID SAID THE SECOND THEME THAT HAD EMERGED WAS DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT STOP IN 1991.

"AS I HAVE EXPLAINED, THERE WILL BE ROOM TO INCREASE DIRECTLY ELECTED ELEMENT IN THIS COUNCIL BETWEEN 1991 AND 1997, SAID.

THE

HE

/"IN ADDITION,