XN000022-1988-07-13 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 1988

BASIC LAW MUST REFLECT SPIRIT OF JOINT DECLARATION

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THE BASIC LAW FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION MUST FULFIL THE SPIRIT AS WELL AS THE LETTER OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE HON LYDIA DUNN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE SPIRIT TO WHICH SHE REFERRED WAS THE CONCEPT OF "ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS" AND THE IDEA OF "HONG KONG PEOPLE RULING KONG".

HONG

LEADING OFF THE COUNCIL'S TWO-DAY MOTION DEBATE ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, MISS DUNN OBSERVED THAT THOSE TWO PHRASES HAD CAUGHT THE IMAGINATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND HAD WON ROUND THOSE WHO HAD BEEN SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS. THEY WERE NOT SPELT OUT IN THE TEXT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

BUT

"THE JOINT DECLARATION REFERRED TO A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY WITHOUT ANY DEFINITION OF THE KEY CONCEPT SHE SAID.

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THE MOTION MOVED BY MISS DUNN READS: "THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TAKES NOTE OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (FOR SOLICITATION OF OPINIONS) AND URGES THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO

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STUDY THE DRAFT AND TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON IT".

SHE SAID THAT MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL COULD NOT STAND SILENT ON THIS "CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT" DOCUMENT THAT AFFECTED THE FUTURE OF EVERYONE IN HONG KONG. BUT SHE MADE IT CLEAR THAT MEMBERS DID NOT COMMENT ON BEHALF OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

"WE COMMENT FOR OURSELVES, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, SHE STRESSED.

MISS DUNN MAINTAINED THAT POWER MUST BE CONFERRED ON THE SAR GOVERNMENT OPEN-HANDEDLY, AND WITHOUT TOO MANY STRINGS ATTACHED.

MUST

"THE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG JUDICIARY BE TRUSTED TO EXERCISE THEIR POWERS RESPONSIBLY, SHE SAID, ADDING TIIAT ONLY IF THE BASIC LAW CLEARLY RECOGNISED THAT KNEW BEST HOW TO MAINTAIN PROSPERITY AND STABILITY WOULD IT BOOST THEIR CONFIDENCE.

HONG KONG PEOPLE IN THE TERRITORY

MISS DUNN STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT THE BASIC LAW SHOULD ALSO REFLECT THE REALITY OF HONG KONG'S PRESENT OPEN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF WHICH WAS THAT NO-ONE HAS SUPREME POWER AND THAT NONE OF THE ORGANS OF GOVERNMENT HAD THE POWER TO OVER-RIDE THE OTHERS.

SHE STRESSED THAT THE CONSTANT SEARCH FOR A WIDELY ACCEPTABLE CONSENSUS BETWEEN DIFFERENT INTERESTS MUST BE PRESERVED.

MISS DUNN