XN000022-1992-11-07 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1992

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PROPOSALS SHOULD BE FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE, GOVERNOR

PROPOSALS FOR THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS SHOULD BE FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING THE PRINCE OF WALES BUSINESS LEADERS FORUM AT HONG KONG PARK, HE SAID HE WAS DELIGHTRD THAT AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AFTER HIS VISIT TO PEKING, DIRECTOR LU PINO ACCEPTED THAT THOSE CRITERIA OF FAIRNESS, OPENNESS AND ACCEPTABILITY WERE THE RIGHT ONES TO APPLY.

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"ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BRING FORWARD PROPOSALS WHICH MEET THOSE CRITERIA IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND MONTHS WILL BE EXTREMELY WELCOMED, HE ADDED.

REFERRING TO REPORTS THAT SOME BUSINESSMEN WILL BE WANTING TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS, HE SAID: I THINK THAT THERE ARE TWO IMPORTANT THINGS WHICH I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL WANT TO REMEMBER.

"THE

FIRST THING IS THAT IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO PUT FORWARD RATHER GENERAL PROPOSALS; ANY PROPOSALS FOR ELECTIONS HAVE TO BE PRECISE AND SPECIFIC AS WELL AS COHERENT, AND MEETING THE CRITERIA THAT I MENTIONED.

"SECONDLY, I'M SURE THAT ANY BUSINESSMEN PUTTING FORWARD PROPOSALS WOULD WANT TO AVOID SEEING A GAP OPENING UP BETWEEN WHAT SOME BUSINESSMEN HAD TO SAY AND WHAT CLEARLY THE COMMUNITY WANTS. THE COMMUNITY PLAINLY WANT'S TO HAVE A RATHER GREATER SHARE, A MODEST INCREASE IN THE SHARE THAT IT HAS IN RUNNING IT'S OWN AFFAIRS AND DETERMINING IT'S OWN FUTURE.

"SO I HOPE THAT ANY PROPOSALS THAT COME FORWARD TAKE ACCOUNT OF THAT AND THAT WE DON'T SEE A DIVIDE OPENING UP, BECAUSE THAT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE DAMAGING WHEN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR 15 THE BROADEST POSSIBLE BASE OF AGREEMENT FOR THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TERRITORY.

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"BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DEBATE AND WILL HAVE TO DECIDE, HE ADDED.

"AND WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TO SEE, INSTEAD OF CRITICISMS, I WANT TO SEE ANYONE WHO'S GOT ANY IDEAS OF PUTTING THEM FORWARD IN A CONSTRUCTIVE AND CALM WAY. RATHER LIKE THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG HAS

DONE.

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THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID: "WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS HONG KONG, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THE COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG HAVING A RATHER SLIGHTLY GREATER SHARE IN DETERMINING THEIR OWN AFFAIRS WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WHICH WAS AGREED BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM."

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