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TUESDAY, MAY 4, 1993
GOVERNOR PATTEN: I pointed out the difference
between the way we had behaved in Hong Kong and the way we had behaved in all those colonial communities; that we
were preparing not for the resumption of sovereignty by another power, but for independence. When we negotiated the terms of the transition with China, we agreed in the Joint Declaration, to which I referred, the pace towards which we could move to democracy in Hong Kong. That was part of that international agreement.
I am not seeking to increase the pace of
democratization in Hong Kong, but what I am saying is that
the elections held according to the Joint Declaration
under British sovereignty
--
I can't speak for what will
should be conducted on
happen under Chinese sovereignty
a basis which is fair and reasonable.
That they should be
credible elections, that they should be elections which
produce a properly voted legislature, and not elections
which produce a rubber stamp. We all know that you can arrange electoral processes in a way which produces à preordained result.
what we are talking to Chinese officials about
at the moment isn't an increase in the pace of
democratization, but it's what the arrangements should be for the elections 2 years before the transition to Chinese sovereignty. Those arrangements hadn't been agreed hadn't been agreed before Patten arrived in Hong Kong. Maybe people would have heard less about the 28th governor if they had been agreed; maybe I'd have had a quieter life. They hadn't been agreed, we do have to agree them, and I hope we'll do so with good will on all sides in the course of the discussions we're having at the moment.
/MR, BERGER:
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