DD 181500Z HONG KONG
GRS 550
RESTRICTED
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FM FCO 181200Z JULY 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 1326 OF 18 JULY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
/MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG :
STATEMENTS TO PARLIAMENT
NİR FOLLOWING IS FINAL TEXT OF QUESTION AND ANSWER ON CONSTITUTIONAL
DEVELOPMENTS:
QUESTION:
1. TO ASK THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
AFFAIRS IF HE WILL MAKE A STATEMENT ON THE GREEN PAPER ON THE
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, ΤΟ
BE PUBLISHED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ON 18 JULY.
ANSWER:
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE TODAY PUBLISHING A GREEN PAPER ON
THE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN THE
TERRITORY. COPIES OF THIS PAPER HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THE LIBRARY
OF THE HOUSE. THE MAIN AIMS OF THE PROPOSALS ARE: TO DEVELOP
PROGRESSIVELY A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, THE AUTHORITY FOR WHICH IS
CLEARLY ROOTED IN HONG KONG, WHICH IS ABLE TO REPRESENT
AUTHORITATIVELY THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND WHICH IS
MORE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG: TO BUILD
THIS SYSTEM ON THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS WHICH HAVE SERVED
HONG KONG WELL, AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE TO PRESERVE THEIR BEST
FEATURES: AND TO ALLOW FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IF THAT SHOULD BE
THE WISH OF THE HONG KONG COMMUNITY. THIS GRADUAL APPROACH, BUILDS
ON EXISTING AND WELL TRIED SYSTEMS, RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING A MORE
RADICAL APPROACH WITH ITS ATTENDANT RISKS DURING A SENSITIVE
PERIOD OF TRANSITION IN THE LIFE OF THE TERRITORY.
THE GREEN PAPER PROPOSES THAT ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED
TO PROVIDE FOR A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO BE ELECTED INDIRECTLY BY AN ELECTORAL
COLLEGE COMPOSED OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL, THE NEW
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