XN000022-1993-12-07 — Page 2

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1993

1.

RULE OF LAW A FOUNDATION OF HONG KONG LIFE

* *

MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WANT THE LIFE WHICH THEY'VE CREATED FOR THEMSELVES TO CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE AND THEY KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THE RT FOUNDATIONS OF THAT SOCIETY IS THE RULE OF LAW, THE GOVERNOR, HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IN

THE KOWLOON,

GOVERNOR SAID : "THEY WANT OUR FREE AND OPEN AND PROSPEROUS AND STABLE SOCIETY TO CONTINUE.

OUR

ENSURING

"THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN HAVING QUITE A LONG DISCUSSION WITH CHINESE COLLEAGUES ABOUT HOW TO SAFEGUARD THE RULE OF LAW BY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN HONG KONG ELECTIONS WHICH ARE FAIR AND WHICH

PEOPLE A GENUINE CHOICE, ELECTIONS WHICH AS GIVE SECRETARY SAID YESTERDAY, CAN'T BE MANIPULATED.

THE

ELECTIONS FORBIGN

"THAT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT AFTER THE FOREIGN SECRETARY STATED IN THE HOUSE OF THE COMMONS, ALL THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WHO SPOKE FROM EVERY POLITICAL PARTY RIGHT ACROSS THE

OF POLITICAL SPECTRUM WESTMINSTER SUPPORTED THE APPROACH THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING, NOT FOR GREAT DASH FORWARD FOR MORE DEMOCRACY, THOUGH SOME PEOPLE SHOULD BE

BUT TO SECURE FAIR ARRANGEMENTS ELECTIONS HERE IN HONG KONG.

THAT, DOING

*

A

THINK FOR

WE

OUR

THE HOWEVER,

GOVERNOR SAID HE WANTED TO GIVE TALKS LONGER CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING AND THE BRITISH TEAM WOULD NEVER BE IN A POSITION OF WALKING AWAY FROM THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.

ON THE QUESTION OF CREDIBILITY OF THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL EMERGED AFTER 1997, MR PATTEN SAID: "I'M SURE THAT THE PROPOSALS THAT FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHICH IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH

A CREDIBLE INSTITUTION, WELL ENJOY THE SUPPORT UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

"

TS

AND

AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IF THOSE PROPOSALS EMERGED WITHOUT AN WOULD AGREEMENT WITH CHINA, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WILL MEAN THAT THEY NECESSARILY BE OVERTURNED IN 1997, BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT WE'LL PRODUCE A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH IS VERY BROADLY BALANCED."

0

BRITISH FULLY COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TALKS

THE

CONTINUING

EFFORT

TO REACH MRS

COMMITTED BRITISH TEAM IS SINCERE AND REMAINS FULLY

WITH DIALOGUE

AN

TO THE

THE CHINESE IN

SECRETARY, CHIEF AGREEMENT ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, THE ANSON CHAN, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

WALK FOR

SPEAKING то THE MEDIA AFTER THE 1993 CIVIL SERVICE CHARITY AWARDS PRESENTATION, MRS CHAN SAID: "INDEED, WE HAVE PROPOSED AN 18TH ROUND AND WE AWAIT A RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE.

HAD

MRS CHAN

RECEIVED

WARM

ON THE PROPOSALS WHICH WILL BE GAZETTED THIS WEEK, SAID

HAD BEEN FORMULATED IN HONG KONG AND THEY SUPPORT AT ALL LEVELS OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY.

/"THEY HAVE