XN000022-1989-07-05 — Page 16

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1989

REPORT FAILS TO ADDRESS HK PROPLE'S CONCERN

AFFAIRS FOREIGN

COMMITTEE'S REPORT

THE

CONTAINS RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW, FOR DEVELOPING A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND ON A

BUT

THE GREATEST NATIONALITY ISSUE.

IS OBJECTION

IN

ITS

USEFUL THE PACE BILL OF RIGHTS, THE RECOMMENDATION

ON

THE HON EDWARD HO SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT.

FAC'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT

MUST

TERM, IT

MR HO SAID DESPITE THE

OF THE BRITISH OBLIGATION TO THE TERRITORY, AND ITS ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT BRITAIN FIND WAYS TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG IN THE SHORTER FAILED TO ADDRESS THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE: HAVE THE ASSURANCE OF A SAFE ABODE IN CASE THE WORST SHOULD HAPPEN.

++

TO

AN HE SAID THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOUNT

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE TO OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE IN AN 'ARMAGEDDON SCENARIO" AFTER 1997 AND

NOT FULFIL THE GRANT RIGHT OF ABODE TO IDENTIFIED KEY PERSONNEL DID AIM OF RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG IN THE SHORT TERM.

"THE FORMER IS NEITHER PRACTICAL NOR

IS DIVISIVE," HE SAID.

RE-ASSURING; THE LATTER

HAD,

PUBLIC HONG KONG AGAIN THE THE UNITED

MEMBERS MR HO RECALLED THAT THE FAC

THE DURING

IN HEARING STAGE

APRIL, MET REPRESENTATIVES FROM PROFESSIONAL BODIES

EXPRESSED TO THEM TIME AND POLITICAL DIFFICULTY OF ADMITTING 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE TO KINGDOM.

AND

HE WAS CONVINCED THAT THE COMMITTEE'S POSITION

FROM THE EVENTS IN PEKING HAD NOT CHANGED FIRST PUBLIC HEARING IN HONG KONG IN APRIL.

IN

ITS POSITION

JUNE AFTER DURING

ITS

DIFFICULTY

"THE POSITION HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT POLITICAL TRANSCENDED ANY REAL CONSIDERATION OF BRITISH OBLIGATIONS," HE SAID.

THAT

"WHAT IS EVEN MORE DAMAGING IS THAT THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS

TO COMMITTEE FAILED

RECOGNISE THE REALITIES OF

HONG THE

KONG SITUATION AND THE WISHES OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE: WHICH IS

HONG KONG IS THEIR HOME; AND IT WAS PLAINLY WRONG, AND GROSSLY

BE EMIGRATING TO ASSUME THAT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG WOULD TO THE UNITED KINGDOM EVEN IF THEY WERE GIVEN THE RIGHT OF ABODE.

MISLEADING

||

THE GRAVITY

MR HO ALSO SAID THAT THE FAC FAILED TO APPRECIATE

CRISIS IN OF THE CONFIDENCE

HONG KONG IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE TIANANMEN SQUARE EVENTS,

WOULD "IN SO DOING, IT FAILED TO PROPOSE ANY REAL MEASURE THAT

THE PROVIDE THE DESIRED IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF RESTORING

CONFIDENCE OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE AND

THE TIDAL OUTFLOW OF OUR MOST VALUABLE ASSETS: OUR PEOPLE,'

STOPPING

HE SAID.

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