XN000022-1990-02-28 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1990

HK SHOULD NOT ACCEPT DEAL ON POLITICAL SYSTEM

THE HON MARTIN LEE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) HE DISAGREED HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD NOW ACCEPT THE BAD DEAL REACHED BY BRITAIN AND CHINA OVER THE TERRITORY'S FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM AND TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF IT.

"THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG DOES NOT LIE IN GIVING UP AND PASSIVELY ACCEPTING WHAT BRITAIN AND CHINA TELL US OUR FUTURE WILL BE," HE SAID IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM.

"THE MOMENT THAT WE GIVE UP, THE MOMENT THAT WE STOP TRYING REALISE OUR ASPIRATIONS, THAT MOMENT WILL BE THE END OF HONG KONG.

TO

IT

THE DUTY OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS ΤΟ ATTAIN WHAT BELIEVED WAS BEST FOR HONG KONG, AND NOT JUST TO ADVANCE A POLITICAL MODEL FOR DISCUSSION, HE SAID.

IT WAS NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE COUNCIL то ACCEPT MEEKLY WHAT IT WAS OFFERED.

"WE MUST CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE ΤΟ BE RIGHT, FOR ULTIMATELY WE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL HAVE THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE DESERVE," HE SAID.

MR LEE CRITICISED THE WORDING OF THE SENIOR MEMBER'S MOTION FOR BEING TOO MILD, AND FOR IMPLYING THAT IT WAS IN THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG TO "QUIETLY ACCEPT THE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL MODEL SET OUT IN THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW"

HE SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE SOFT ATTITUDE, WHICH WAS IMPLICIT IN THIS MOTION, WOULD NOT FOOL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG INTO BELIEVING THAT STABILITY HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.

BUT HE COMMENDED THE HON JAMES MCGREGOR'S MOTION ΤΟ HIS COLLEAGUES, SAYING THAT "WE MUST CONTINUE то FIGHT FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE RIGHT".

MR LEE STRESSED THAT THE ESSENCE OF THE OMELCO CONSENSUS MODEL WAS THAT IT WAS THE BOTTOM LINE, THE VERY MINIMUM OF DEMOCRATIC REFORM THAT MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IF PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY WAS TO BE RESTORED.

"IT WOULD BE HIGHLY DISINGENUOUS FOR THE COUNCIL NOW TO SUGGEST THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SHOULD SIMPLY ABANDON OUR ASPIRATIONS AND MAKE THE BEST OF WHAT WE HAVE OURSELVES SAID WAS BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE. FOR US TO ACCEPT THIS MODEL IS ΤΟ ENCOURAGE OUR PEOPLE TO FLEE HONG KONG, HE SAID.

++

BRITAIN

FOR

MR LEE CRITICISED

SHOWING ABSOLUTELY

NO INCLINATION TO ASCERTAIN HONG KONG'S OPINION AND FOR MAKING NO EFFORT TO COVER ITS CAPITULATION TO CHINA.

/HE ALSO