XN000022-1993-07-01 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, JULY 1, 1993

CABINET MEETING DISCUSSES POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT

THE

RECOMMENDATIONS,

BE PUTTING SIR ROBIN ABOUT HOW OF

GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, WILL

WITH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO CHINA, MCLAREN, AT A CABINET COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY (THURSDAY) THEY SEE THE WAY FORWARD IN THE TALKS ON THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT HONG KONG.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER MEETING FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE OFFICIALS IN LONDON YESTERDAY, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WE WILL BE ENSURING THAT THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG REMAIN PARAMOUNT THROUGHOUT THESE NEGOTIATIONS SO FAR AS OUR OWN STRATEGY ON THE BRITISH AND THE HONG KONG SIDE IS CONCERNED."

"WE ARE NOT,

UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, GOING TO CONNIVE AT RIGGED ELECTIONS, AND WE WILL NOT FRUSTRATE THE DESIRE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR A GREATER SAY IN RUNNING THEIR OWN AFFAIRS, WHICH I THINK IS WHOLLY LEGITIMATE."

NOTING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH, THE GOVERNOR SAID THEY WANTED TO SEE A SETTLEMENT AND A SETTLEMENT GOOD TIME TO ARRANGE FOR THE 1994 AND 1995 ELECTIONS.

IN

"WE WILL NOT JETTISON OUR PRINCIPLES IN ORDER SETTLEMENT," HE ADDED.

то ACHIEVE A

"WE WANT ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994 AND 1995 WHICH ARE FAIR AND OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND WE WANT OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR THE SO-CALLED THROUGH TRAIN' SO LEGISLATORS ARE CONCERNED.

FAR AS

ASKED TO ELABORATE ON THE CRITERIA, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I bo NOT THINK THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IF CANDIDATES IN THE 1995 ELECTIONS WERE GOING AROUND CANVASSING UNABLE TO TELL PEOPLE WHETHER THEY WERE LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL THROUGH 1997 то 1999, UNABLE TO SAY WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO BE TWO-YEAR LEGISLATORS OR FOUR-YEAR LEGISLATORS.

"THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT I THINK THAT EVERY LEGISLATOR IN 1995 HAS то HAVE AN ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE THAT WITHOUT ANY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS COMING INTO PLAY, THEY CAN TRAVEL THROUGH TO 1999.

BUT IT MEANS THAT LEGISLATORS MUST HAVE THE SAME SORT OF CLEAR AND OBJECTIVE CRITERIA TO TRAVEL THROUGH THAT THEY HAVE AT THE MOMENT.

"IF YOU ARE A CANDIDATE TODAY, YOU HAVE то MEET CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS TO RE A CANDIDATE. IF YOU BECOME A LEGISLATOR, YOU HAVE TO TAKE AN OATH, EITHER THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE OR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OATH.

"THERE ARE SIMILAR PROVISIONS IN THE BASIC LAW FOR FOR THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, IN ORDER TO TAKE OATHS IN ORDER FOR OFFICE. THAT IS, AS IT WERE, A 'JUSTICIABLE' CRITERIA.

LEGISLATORS,

QUALIFY

TO

/"IT IS