XN000022-1989-06-01 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 1989

CONFIDENCE IN BASIC LAW WILL ENSURE PROSPERITY, STABILITY: JACOBS

*

THE ACTING CHIEF SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, SAID IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF ALL CONCERNED, INCLUDING CHINA, THAT THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW SHOULD WIN THE FULL CONFIDENCE OF PEOPLE HERE IN HONG KONG, AND FOREIGN INVESTORS.

"IT IS THROUGH THAT CONFIDENCE THAT THE LONG TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG WILL BE ENSURED, SAID MR JACOBS, NOTING THAT MANY HAD EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA HAD RAISED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE CONSULTATION PROCESS ON THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW IN HONG KONG.

AND

CONCLUDING THE MOTION DEBATE ON THE BASIC LAW IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY), HE SAID: "THE THOUGHTFUL FORWARD-LOOKING SPEECHES MADE DURING THIS DEBATE EXEMPLIFY THE COMMITMENT OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT REFLECT THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE TO ATTAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE BASIC LAW."

MR

JACOBS SAID THAT THE MOTION WAS A CLEAR INVITATION ΤΟ THE COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.

HE SAID RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA HAD PROMPTED INTENSE INTEREST AND CONCERN AMONG THE HONG KONG PEOPLE.

"THOSE EVENTS HAVE CAUSED SOME PEOPLE TO QUESTION THE VALUE OF THE BASIC LAW AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT WILL GENUINELY GOVERN HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE IN FUTURE.

THE BASIC LAW ΤΟ HONG KONG'S

"BUT,

AT THE SAME TIME, THEY HAVE LED TO A RECOGNITION ON PART OF MANY, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, THAT THE

IF IS,

ANYTHING, OF GREATER THAN EVER SIGNIFICANCE FUTURE," MR JACOBS SAID.

BEYOND THE

ECHOING THE REMARK BY THE GOVERNOR THAT WE MUST LOOK IMMEDIATE EVENTS, MR JACOBS SAID THE BASIC LAW WOULD PROVIDE FRAMEWORK FOR HONG KONG FOR 50 YEARS AFTER 1997, LONG AFTER THE RECENT EVENTS HAD TAKEN THEIR PLACE IN THE HISTORY BOOKS.

"AND So,

THE

NOT,

ENCOURAGE IT IS RIGHT THAT THIS COUNCIL SHOULD WHOLE COMMUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON ITS TERMS. IF THEY DO THE BASIC LAW MAY NOT IN ITS FINAL FORM TRULY REFLECT ASPIRATIONS, HE ADDED.

IL

THEIR

THE

MR JACOBS SAID THE BASIC LAW WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WAS LEGAL EXPRESSION BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA OF THE TERMS OF THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT WHICH CHINA ACCEPTED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THAT IT PROVIDED THE CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SYSTEMS BEYOND 1997.

"AND IT