XN000022-1993-12-02 — Page 7

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1993

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MR JAMES TIEN: GOVERNOR, THE UNITED DEMOCRATS HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL AMEND THE BILL YOU PROPOSE TO TABLE IN THIS COUNCIL BY INCREASING DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS FROM 18 TO 30, THUS ELIMINATING ELECTION COMMITTEE ALTOGETHER, AS WELL AS YOUR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL ON THE NINE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY SEATS INVOLVING 2.7 MILLION PEOPLE. GOVERNOR, WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US HOW YOU WILL INSTRUCT THE GOVERNMENT MEMBERS TO VOTE ON THIS AMENDMENT?

GOVERNOR: I'M SLIGHTLY

RELUCTANT TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OR EVEN AMENDMENTS BEFORE THEY ARRIVE, BUT SPEAKING ON THE ISSUE OF AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, WHILE I RECOGNISE THAT THERE IS CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT FOR IT IN THE COUNCIL AND I SUSPECT CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT FOR IT OUTSIDE THE COUNCIL, I VERY MUCH DOUBT WHETHER THE DISTINGUISHED NEW CHIEF SECRETARY AND OUR ATTORNEY AND OUR FINANCIAL SECRETARY WOULD FIND THEMSELVES, ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, IN THE SAME LOBBY AS MR MARTIN LEE AND HIS COLLEAGUES. I RECOGNISE THAT THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF PRESSURE IN THIS COUNCIL FOR THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG, BUT IT IS NOT THE POSITION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND IT IS NOT THE POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. I THINK THAT THIS STEP WE ARE PROPOSING, A SMALL STEP BUT A NECESSARY STEP, SHOULD BE QUITE SUFFICIENT AND I HOPE IT ISN'T REQUIRED TO BEAR TOO MUCH ELSE.

AS FOR FUTURE LEGISLATION, ON THE MORE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES, I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WHEN WE INTRODUCE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO ON THE BASIS OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT LEGISLATION ON THE MORE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IS ACCEPTABLE ΤΟ THIS COUNCIL.

MR ALLEN LEE: GOVERNOR, IF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO FURTHER TALKS BEFORE DECEMBER 10TH, WHICH YOU MENTIONED AS THE DATE

OF GAZETTING, WILL YOU POSTPONE THE GAZETTING TO GIVE FURTHER TALKS CHANCE?

GOVERNOR: I VERY MUCH DOUBT WHETHER THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD MAKE TALKS BEFORE 10TH DECEMBER, CONDITIONAL ON WHAT HAPPENED ON 10TH DECEMBER. ANY PROPOSALS THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE CHINESE SIDE WE'D HAVE TO CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY. WE'VE ACTUALLY PROPOSED THE 17TH AND 18TH DECEMBER, FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS, NEXT WEEK THE JLG IS MEETING IN LONDON WHICH MIGHT CONSTRAIN CHINESE ENTHUSIASM FOR ANOTHER SET OF TALKS BEFORE 10TH DECEMBER, BUT IF THEY WANTED TO TALK BEFORE 10TH DECEMBER, OR AFTER 10TH DECEMBER, OR EVER, THEY'D FIND US AT THE TABLE.

MR CHEUNG MAN-KWONG (THROUGH INTERPRETATION): MR GOVERNOR, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD LIVE UP TO ITS WORD, IT SHOULD NOT BREACH ITS FAITH TO THE PEOPLE. IN THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS, YOU AND THE OFFICIALS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE STRESSED TIME AND AGAIN THAT THE PROPOSALS IN YOUR PACKAGE, LIKE ELECTED DB MEMBERS ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE TEN MEMBERS OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE ARE INSEPARABLE FROM THE PACKAGE. SO YOU HAVE SAID THAT BUT NOW YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE OVERTURNED WHAT YOU HAVE SAID, SO YOU HAVE SPLIT YOUR OWN PACKAGE. So, HOW CAN YOU ASK THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WON'T BACKTRACK AGAIN? HOW CAN YOU ASK THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WHICH YOU LEAD IS A GOVERNMENT WITH CREDIBILITY? IF A GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE CREDIBILITY, HOW CAN IT LEAD HONG KONG UP 1997? MR GOVERNOR, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A MODEL ANSWER FOR THIS BUT HOPE THAT YOU CAN STATE IT PUBLICLY AND GIVE EXPLANATIONS.

TO

/GOVERNOR