XN000022-1994-02-24 — Page 18

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1994

THE GOVERNOR: NOBODY, NOBODY, I'LL KEEP MY DECIBEL COUNT DOWN. NOBODY IS ACTUALLY SAYING THE HONOURABLE LADY CAN'T INTRODUCE HER ARGUMENT AND HER IDEAS IT WOULD BE AN EXTREMELY BRAVE WOMAN AND EVEN BRAVER MAN WHOEVER TRIED TO STOP THE HONOURABLE LADY, DEVELOPING A POLITICAL ARGUMENT, THE POLITICAL ARGUMENT SHE'S GOT IS A, IS ONE WHICH MANY PEOPLE IN

THIS COMMUNITY AND OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY WOULD REGARD AS WHOLLY REASONABLE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS EVER SENSIBLE ΤΟ ANSWER VERY HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS IN THE WAY THAT THE HONOURABLE LADY IS INVITING ME TO. I ANSWER SOMETIMES, PARTIALLY HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS. BUT THE MORE HYPOTHETICAL THEY ARE THE LESS SENSIBLE I THINKS IT IS TO ANSWER THEM. JUST TO ADD ONE POINT, I THINK THAT IT IS A STRENGTH OF OUR PROPOSALS, THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY IN LINE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION, BUT ALSO WHOLLY IN LINE WITH THE BASIC LAW, AND I THINK THAT IT IS A MATTER OF STRENGTH AS WELL THAT DESPITE THE RAIN FORESTS THAT HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN OVER THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF TO TRY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'VE VIOLATED THE BASIC LAW AND THE JOINT DECLARATION, NO EVIDENCE WHICH CONVINCES ANYBODY HAS EVER BEEN ADDUCED FOR THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD BE IN A STRONGER POSITION IF WE HAD PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS SUCH AS THE HONOURABLE LADY ADVANCES WHICH GO AGAINST THE BASIC LAW. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO BUILD AS BROAD A BASE OF SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE, BUT SOMEBODY WITH MY BACKGROUND COULDN'T HELP BUT ADMIRE THE OBJECTIVES WHICH THE HONOURABLE LADY HAS SET HERSELF, AND FOR WHICH SHE HAS ARGUED WITH AS I SAID SUCH CONSISTENCY AND PASSION OFTEN TO THE EMBARRASSMENT OF POLITICIANS FROM BRITAIN AND FROM ELSEWHERE.

THE PRESIDENT: IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDERS, I KNOW ADJOURN THE SITTING UNTIL WEDNESDAY, 2ND MARCH 1994.

WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT PUBLISHED

THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (THURSDAY) PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE PUBLICATION REPRODUCED THE TEXT OF THE WHITE PAPER PRESENTED AT THE SAME TIME (9 AM LONDON TIME} TODAY ΤΟ PARLIAMENT BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH

AFFAIRS.

IT GAVE A FULL ACCOUNT OF WHAT THE TALKS ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/95 ELECTIONS WITH CHINA HAD BEEN ABOUT, WHY' AGREEMENT HAD NOT BEEN POSSIBLE, AND HOW THE GOVERNMENT INTENDED TO PROCEED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE WHITE PAPER WAS INTENDED TO INFORM DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

COPIES OF THE PAPER WILL BE SENT TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS DISTRICT BOARDS.

EXECUTIVE

AND

THE

/COPIES WILL