XN000022-1992-06-24 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 1992

SCA ON DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN LEGCO

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FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR PETER LAI, IN THE MOTION DEBATE ON DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY):

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT,

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S, AND HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S, WISH TO SEE A STEADY PROGRESS TOWARDS A GREATER DEGREE OF DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG ON A BASIS THAT CAN BE SUSTAINED AFTER THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997. IN RESPONSE TO THE EXPRESSED DESIRES OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY FOR A MORE RAPID RATE OF PROGRESS IN THIS REGARD, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT DECIDED IN EARLY 1990 AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS IN THIS COUNCIL FROM 10 TO 18 IN 1991, AND TO NOT BELOW 20 IN 1995. AT THE TIME OF ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS DECISION IN PARLIAMENT, THE SECRETARY OF STATE, MR DOUGLAS HURD SAID : "WE WISH TO ESTABLISH IN HONG KONG, BEFORE 1997, A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH INCLUDES FROM THE OUTSET A SUBSTANTIAL ELEMENT OF DEMOCRACY, AND WHICH CAN ENDURE AND FURTHER DEVELOP AFTER 1997." HE. ALSO SAID: "WE SHALL CONTINUE TO PRESS THE CASE FOR A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION."

HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO RAISE WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BEFORE THE 1995 ELECTIONS THE PACE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG HAS SINCE BEEN REAFFIRMED BY MINISTERS WHEN THEY VISITED THE TERRITORY IN APRIL AND SEPTEMBER 1990, AND ALSO BY THE PRIME MINISTER DURING HIS VISIT HERE IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR.

MEMBERS SPEAKING IN THIS DEBATE HAVE EXPRESSED DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE PACE OF DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD. THESE VIEWS WILL OF COURSE BE FULLY REFLECTED TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. ON THE QUESTION OF TIMING FOR DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, THE SECRETARY OF STATE STATED IN PARLIAMENT AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY THIS YEAR THAT THIS WILL NEED TO TAKE PLACE "WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT" THE NEW GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG WILL ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER THIS IMPORTANT MATTER IN DETAIL AND, IN THIS REGARD, I THINK I CAN DO NO BETTER THAN REPEATING AGAIN THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S WORDS IN PARLIAMENT EARLIER THIS MONTH

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"I DO NOT THINK THAT THE NEW GOVERNOR WILL WANT TO RUSH TO CONCLUSIONS ON THESE MATTERS AS SOON AS HE TAKES OVER. HE WOULD BE WISE TO WANT I AM SURE THAT HE WILL WANT то CONSULT WIDELY AFTER HIS ARRIVAL. TO WEIGH UP ALL THE FACTORS AND THEN TO PUT HIS ADVICE TO US. THAT WILL TAKE TIME. I

/WOULD NOT