XN000022-1988-12-09 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1988

'POLITICAL REFORMS SHOULD BE GRADUAL, PLANNED AND STEADY: SIR DAVID FORD

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THE TIME IS RIPE FOR POLITICAL REFORM IN HONG KONG, OVERWHELMING CONSENSUS REMAINS THAT THE REFORM SHOULD BE PLANNED AND STEADY, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, GATHERING IN NEW YORK ON THURSDAY (DECEMBER 8).

BUT THE GRADUAL,

TOLD A

SPEAKING TO THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK AND THE ASIA SOCIETY, SIR DAVID SAID: "HONG KONG DOES NOT WANT TO DIVE INTO THE DEEP END OF DEMOCRACY WITH A SUDDEN, COLD SHOCK; IT WANTS TO THERE BY CAREFUL, CONFIDENT STROKES.'

"

"THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE PLANNING FOR, HE ADDED.

GET

THE

AND

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THAT IN 1988 TWO DOCUMENTS GOVERNMENT'S WHITE PAPER ON THE COURSE OF POLITICAL REFORM THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WHICH WOULD FORM THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997

WERE PUBLISHED AND WOULD HAVE A VITAL BEARING ON THE COURSE OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

AFTER THE MOST CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF PUBLIC OPINION ON THE WHITE PAPER, IT WAS DECIDED THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD NOT BE INTRODUCED UNTIL 1991, AND THAT OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS 10 IN A COUNCIL OF 56 FAIRLY LOW, SIR DAVID SAID.

THE PERCENTAGE SHOULD BE KEPT

"

"IN THE CONTEXT OF HONG KONG'S HISTORY THIS SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT,

WILL BE A VERY

HE SAID.

"IT

申申

WAS NOT, HOWEVER, ENOUGH то SATISFY SOME PEOPLE, SIR DAVID SAID.

"MANY ACCUSATIONS, MOSTLY WILD, FLEW AROUND: THE MOST PERNICIOUS OF WHICH WAS THAT WE HAD OBEYED THE BRITISH, WHO HAD THEMSELVES CAVED IN TO PRESSURE FROM THE CHINESE, WHO SIMPLY DID NOT LIKE ANYTHING THAT SMELT OF DEMOCRACY," HE ADDED.

"IN POINT OF FACT NONE OF THIS WAS TRUE," SIR DAVID STRESSED.

"BUT IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE INSTANT DEMOCRACY LOBBY WERE DISTRESSED TO FIND THAT THE WIND OF CHANGE WAS NOT BLOWING AT QUITE THE SPEED THAT THEY WANTED, AND THAT THEY LOOKED FOR THE CONSPIRACY EXPLANATION, IGNORING THE VERY OBVIOUS REALITY THAT IS BEFORE US ALL IN HONG KONG

THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION WANT STABILITY ABOVE ALL, SIR DAVID SAID.

"

THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID THAT THE PEOPLE WANTED THE STABLE ENVIRONMENT PRESERVED SO THAT THEY COULD CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THEIR BUSINESS INTERESTS, IMPROVE THEIR LIVING STANDARDS, CHILDREN AND ENJOY THE FRUITS OF THEIR HARD WORK.

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