XN000022-1992-10-24 — Page 4

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1992

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I AM ALSO SURE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO IMPLEMENT OUR COMMITMENTS UNDER THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING DESPITE THE UNHAPPY FACT THAT OUR PREVIOUS SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION HAS NOT SO FAR DELIVERED AN OVERALL AGREEMENT.

Ι

ON

SECONDLY, LET ME TURN AGAIN TO POLITICAL ISSUES. REPEAT THAT THE PROPOSALS I HAVE MADE, WHICH ARE MY BEST JUDGEMENT THE POINT OF BALANCE IN HONG KONG THINKING ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, DO NOT BREACH EITHER THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE BASIC LAW, OR ANY PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE PRESENT SOVEREIGN POWER AND THE FUTURE SOVEREIGN POWER. HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL RECALL THAT THE MAIN DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA TWO YEARS AGO WAS OVER THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS. BUT WHAT OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES? THE BASIC LAW IS EXPLICIT THAT THE ELECTION COMMITTEE PROVIDED FOR IN THE BASIC LAW FOR 1999 WILL NOT BE THE SAME AS THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST SAR LEGISLATURE. A DIFFERENT COMPOSITION IS EXPLICITLY FORESEEN. то ADOPT THE 1999 COMPOSITION FOR THE LEGISLATURE SPANNING THE TRANSITION WOULD, THEREFORE, BE CONTRARY TO THE BASIC LAW. SO I FIND THE ARGUMENT PUT BY PEKING OFFICIALS THAT THE ANSWER LIES IN THE BASIC LAW SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW.

NEXT,

ON FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, MY PROPOSALS ARE DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH THE CONCEPTS SET OUT IN THE 1987 GREEN PAPER AND THE 1988 WHITE PAPER. THEY MADE CLEAR THAT FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL AND OF IMPORTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS A DIRECT QUOTE. MY PROPOSALS DO NOT AMOUNT ΤΟ ADDITIONAL DIRECT GEOGRAPHICAL ELECTIONS. IF THEY DID, I WOULD HAVE INCLUDED SOME GROUPS OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS WHOM SOME MEMBERS HAVE URGED ME TO INCLUDE. FOR EXAMPLE, STUDENTS, HOUSEWIVES AND PENSIONERS.

LET ME REPEAT ONE SIMPLE POINT YET AGAIN. NOWHERE IN THE BASIC LAW ARE WE TOLD WHAT SHOULD BE THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST SAR LEGISLATURE. NOWHERE ARE WE TOLD HOW THE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES SHOULD BE DEVISED. NOWHERE ARE

TOLD WHAT THE VOTING SYSTEM FOR DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS SHOULD HAVE PUT FORWARD MY OWN PROPOSALS; A SERIOUS DISCUSSION AND DEBATE DEMANDS THAT MY CRITICS SHOULD PUT FORWARD THEIRS.

WE

I

BE.

AS HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL HAVE NOTED, AT THE END OF OUR DISCUSSIONS IN PEKING, MAJOR DIFFERENCES REMAIN BETWEEN US ON THESE QUESTIONS. THESE DIFFERENCES HAVE NOT WIDENED THIS WEEK BUT NOR, FRANKLY, HAVE THEY NARROWED. I'VE SAID REPEATEDLY THAT I AM WILLING TO DISCUSS THESE MATTERS AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE, WITH ANYONE. I REPEAT THAT PLEDGE TO HONOURABLE MEMBERS TODAY; AND WE HAVE AGREED THAT DISCUSSIONS SHOULD CONTINUE BETWEEN OUR TWO SIDES IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. I HOPE THOSE DISCUSSIONS BEAR FRUIT, BUT THEY ARE NOT DISCUSSIONS THAT CAN GO ON FOREVER WITHOUT BEARING FRUIT.

IT'S CONCEIVABLE THAT ONE OR TWO HONOURABLE MEMBERS MAY WISH TO ASK A QUESTION AND I'LL TRY TO FIT IN AS MANY AS I CAN IN THE NEXT FORTY MINUTES. PERHAPS, STARTING WITH ALLEN LEE.

/MR ALLEN LEE: