XN000022-1989-07-03 — Page 6

5

MONDAY, JULY 3, 1989

IN

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID BRITAIN WOULD SPARE NO EFFORT DISCHARGING ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG BEFORE 1997.

BRTIAIN WOULD ALSO ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF

AND RELIABLE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT TO SAFEGUARD AND PROTECT HONG KONG'S SECURITY AND THE PROSPERITY, AND TO PRESERVE THE FREEDOMS WHICH WERE ESSENTIAL TO TERRITORY'S WAY OF LIFE, HE SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN BETWEEN NOW AND 1997.

"THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE NECESSARY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HONG KONG WILL BE TAKEN," HE SAID.

OF

"DECISIONS HAVE TO BE TAKEN ABOUT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TOO. THIS RESPECT, WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CAREFUL TO BASE OURSELVES FIRMLY THE EXPRESSED WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

IN

ON

"TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE BEEN A RECIPE FOR DANGEROUS LAST INSTABILITY. ALL THE REFORMS UP TO AND INCLUDING THOSE ANNOUNCED

ON AN ASSESSMENT OF YEAR HAVE BEEN BASED ON

WHAT HONG KONG ITSELF WANTED, SIR GEOFFREY SAID.

H

"IT IS NOW PLAIN THAT HONG KONG OPINION HAS MOVED ON SINCE

HE NOTED. THEN. THIS WAS PLAIN BEFORE THE MASSACRE IN PEKING,

A

THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SAID OMELCO'S UNANIMOUS PROPOSAL FOR

ΤΟ FULL 50 PER CENT DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE BY 1997 AND MOVING DIRECT ELECTIONS SIX YEARS LATER, WAS A MOST IMPORTANT INDICATION THE EMERGING CONSENSUS.

"I

OF

AND

HIS

TO

HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE WITH THE GOVERNOR ADVISERS SINCE MY ARRIVAL YESTERDAY. I SHALL LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY THE VIEWS THAT YOU AND OTHERS PUT FORWARD," HE SAID.

SIR GEOFFREY NOTED THAT CHANGES CURRENTLY PROPOSED NEEDED TO BE RE-EXAMINED; CAREFUL CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE WHAT FURTHER STEPS MIGHT BE NECESSARY BEFORE 1997, AND THE FOR

LAW ON CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS THE BASIC REAPPRAISAL ONCE THE DRAFTING PROCESS RESUMED.

WOULD

FOR 1991 GIVEN ON PROVISIONS

NEED

FULL

WILL "BRITAIN

QUESTION EXPRESS.

CONTINUE TO CONSTRUCT ITS ON THE BASIS OF THE VIEWS THAT HONG KONG

APPROACH TO THIS PEOPLE THEMSELVES

**OUR

AND OUR

ON WHAT SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE 1997. DECISION DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE ABOUT ARRANGEMENTS AFTER 1997, WILL PROCEED FROM THAT STARTING POINT," SIR GEOFFREY SAID.

ALL

'ANOTHER MATTER THAT WE SHALL BE TAKING UP WITH THE CHINESE

OF WHEN

WITH THEM ARE RESUMED IS ARTICLE 18 DISCUSSIONS BASIC LAW - WHICH COULD ENABLE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO STATE OF EMERGENCY IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997.

THE DRAFT DECLARE A

"THIS ARTICLE