XN000022-1988-11-26 — Page 4

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1988

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THERE WAS A FURTHER DIFFICULTY. FOR THE CHINESE 10 WAS STRICTLY BILATERAL NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE TWO METROPOLITAN POWERS. FOR US ON THE BRITISH SIDE IT WAS TRIANGULAR, THE THIRD PARTY BEING HONG KONG. WE ESTABLISHED FROM THE OUTSET THE PRINCIPLE THAT OUR COMMON OBJECTIVE WAS THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG AND WH INSISTED THAT ANY SETTLEMENT HAD TO BE ACCEPTABLE NOT ONLY Tel THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT BUT ALSO TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND IN THE END OF COURSE WE FORMALIY ASKED THEM WHETHER THEY ACCEPTED THE RESULT. TO US ON THE BRITISH SIDE AT THE TURNING POINTS THIS WAS THE YARDSTICK: WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

ALL THE

NECESSARY TO TRY TO SHALL TAK! THEM IN WHO CLAIM THAT THE FOLLOWED UP. SECOND,

AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND OF COMMITMENT THE PRESENT CRITICISMS OF THE AGREEMENT MAY SEEM VERY STRANGE. BUT IT IS UNDERSTAND THEM. THERE ARE I THINK 3 KINDS. I ASCENDING ORDER OF GLOOM. FIRST THERE ARE THOSE AGREEMENT WAS FINE BUT THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THE AGREEMENT WILL NOT WORK IN ANY CASE. FINALLY, THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARGUE IN A MORE SWEEPING FORM AND. FORGETTING ABOUT THE AGREEMENT ALTOGETHER SAY THAT

I

ESSENTIALLY WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IS AN UNQUALIFIED HANDOVER OF NEARLY 6 MILLION PEOPLE TO COMMUNIST RULE.

FIRST, THE MORE LIMITED COMPLAINTS. AMONG THEM IS THE CLAIM THAT THE BASIC LAW BEING DRAFTED BY THE CHINESE AS THE CONSTITUTION FOR HONG KONG DOES NOT PROPERLY REFLECT THE 1984 AGREEMENT. THIS 19 UNTRUE, THOUGH AS A REMINDER OF THE NEED FOR VIGILANCE IT MAY SERVE A USEFUL PURPOSE. THE AGREEMENT CLEARLY LAYS DOWN THAT THE PRINCIPLES AND DETAILS SET OUT IN IT WILL BE STIPULATED IN THE BASIC LAW, AND WE HAVE A RIGHT AND DUTY TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS DONE ACCURATELY. THE BASIC LAW IN ITS PRESENT FORM IS IN DRAFT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARE SEEKING HONG KONG'S VIEWS ON IT. IT IS NOT PERFECT

WHAT DRAFT

IS

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BUT ALMOST ALL ITS PROVISIONS FAITHFULLY CORRESPOND TO THE AGREEMENT AND IN OTHER CASES WE ARE SEEKING IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH A RANGE OF CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. THIS IS WORK IN PROGRESS.

TO

THERE IS GOVERNMENT HONG KONG

ANOTHER COMPLAINT IS THAT WE HAVE ABANDONED OUR UNDERTAKING PROMOTE DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG, WHICH, IT IS ARGUED. IS THE ONLY PROTECTION AGAINST THE EXPECTED CHINESE OPPRESSION. IN FACT A STEADY EVOLUTION TOWARDS A MORE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM OF AND THE RATE CORRESPONDS TO THE WISHES OF THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE. THE PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IS NOW ENSHRINED IN THE BASIC LAW AND CHINESE OFFICIAL SPOKESMEN HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IS ONE MAN ONE VOTE.