XN000022-1989-07-05 — Page 8

WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1989

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IN RESPONSE TO THE FAC'S RECOMMENDATION THAT SOME GROUPS IN KONG SHOULD MERIT SPECIAL TREATMENT, MR LEE SAID SUCH A MOVE WOULD NOT BE IN THE INTEREST OF THE COMMUNITY.

HONG

WOULD STAY.

MOREOVER, HALF-WAY PROPOSALS SHORT OF GRANTING FULL CITIZENSHIP ONLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEAVE THE TERRITORY RATHER THAN TC

TURNING TO OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN IN THE FAC REPORT. MR LEE SAID THE COMMITTEE SEEMED TO HAVE MADE SOME CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTIONS ON THE BASIC LAW AND THE FUTURE POLITICAL STRUCTURE.

KNOWN UP.

HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS ON THESE ISSUES, AND URGED THE COMMUNITY ΤΟ SPEAK

HOWEVER, MR LEE DREW BRITAIN'S ATTENTION TO A PERCEPTION IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE BASIC LAW HAD DRIFTED FROM THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

HE SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD THE RIGHT AS A SIGNATORY OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY AS THE SOVEREIGN STATP OF HONG KONG, TO GET THE BASIC LAW RIGHT, BECAUSE ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION MUST BE TOTALLY ENSHRINED THE BASIC LAW.

IN

THE

HE THEREFORE SUGGESTED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT MUST AT OFFICIAL LEVEL DISCUSS THE BASIC LAW WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN A FORUM SUCH AS THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

MR LEE SHARED THE VIEW OF THE FAC THAT THE QUESTION OF STATIONING THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY IN THE FUTURE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION NEEDED TO BE CAREFULLY RE-EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF EVENTS IN CHINA.

"TO ALLAY THE FEARS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, I DO THINK THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE BOLD ENOUGH TO FACE UP TO THE FACT THAT IT WOULD NOT BOOST CONFIDENCE 1F THEY INSIST ON STATIONING THE PLA HONG KONG AFTER 1997," HE SAID.

IN

HE ALSO PERSONALLY AGREED WITH THE FAC'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE QUESTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

MR

LEE

WELCOMED THE FAC'S SUPPORT FOR THE MANDATORY REPATRIATION OF THOSE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE CLASSIFIED AS NON- REFUGEES.

HE EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S READINESS TO TAKE UP THE PROBLEM WITH THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT, AND ITS CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE MAINTENANCE OF THE BOAT PEOPLE WHO HAD ARRIVED IN HONG KONG,

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