XN000022-1993-12-15 — Page 37

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1993

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ANXIETIES OVER CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY NOTED

THE

FULLY BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE AWARE OF THE ANXIETIES OF THE COMMUNITY IN THESE LAST FEW YEARS BEFORE THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY, THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL MR MICHAEL SZE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

AFFAIRS,

MR SZE SAID THEY BELIEVED STRONGLY THAT THE BEST MEANS ENSURING THAT HONG KONG COULD HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ITS FUTURE WAS ENSURE THAT

INSTITUTIONS THERE REMAIN IN PLACE AFTER 1997 THE WERE NECESSARY TO SAFEGUARD HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE.

THEY ARE:

* A VIGOROUS AND ACCOUNTABLE EXECUTIVE;

A CREDIBLE AND BROADLY-BASED LEGISLATURE; AND

* AN INDEPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL JUDICIARY,

OF

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THAT

HE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON EMILY LAU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

THE SECRETARY SAID THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS (MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS) (NO.2} BILL 1993 WAS THE FIRST PART OF THEIR PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME AIMED AT ACHIEVING REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS WHICH WERE CREDIBLE AND BROADLY-BASED.

"THE COMMUNITY SHOULD WORK TO BUILD THEIR FUTURE UNDER THE HISTORIC PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS', RATHER THAN SHY AWAY FROM IT," HE SAID.

NOTING THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY WAS ALWAYS TO BE A DIFFICULT ENTERPRISE, HE SAID:

"WE FIRMLY

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BELIEVE THAT WITH GOODWILL AND CO-OPERATION BOTH SIDES EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENCES, AND OF COURSE THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN TOGETHER OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES.'

FROM

WITH

THESE

MEASURES TO ENSURE SAFETY IN NEW YEAR EVENTS

ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE MADE TO ENSURE THAT THERE WILL BE NO OVERCROWDING AND то MAINTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY DURING NEW YEAR'S EVR CELEBRATION AT VICTORIA PARK.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR KEN WOODHOUSE, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON LAM KUI-CHUN.

THERE WILL BE 50,000 TICKETS ON SALE FOR THE EVENT.

/MR WOODHOUSE