TNAG-1308-FCO40-1665-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 73

8. DURING HIS RECENT VISIT, MR LUCE REMINDED US THAT, ON THE BRITISH SIDE, ANY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WOULD HAVE TO GO TO PARLIAMENT FOR ENDORSEMENT. OTHER PARLIAMENTARY VISITORS HAVE RECALLED THAT PARLIAMENT CANNOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED. IN CONSIDERING THE AGREEMENT, PARLIAMENT WILL, AS THE MINISTER MADE CLEAR, WISH TO KNOW THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON IT. IN CONSEQUENCE, THOSE VIEWS, EXPRESSED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING THROUGH THIS COUNCIL, WILL BE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR PARLIAMENT WHEN IT COMES TO ASSESS THE ARRANGEMENTS AS A WHOLE. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS, IT SEEMS INCONCEIVABLE THAT PARLIAMENT WILL NOT WISH TO KNOW, W

WHEN THE TIME COMES, WHAT VIEWS HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED IN THIS COUNCIL.

9. IT IS PERHAPS NOT OUT OF PLACE FOR ME AT THIS POINT IN THE

DEBATE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE RECORD OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND ITS PLACE IN THE GOVERNANCE OF HONG KONG. ITS DELIBERATIONS HAVE PROVIDED HONG KONG WITH A BODY OF LAW FOR THE GOOD GOVERNMENT OF THIS TERRITORY AND, IN SO DOING, HAVE MADE A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY WHICH THOSE WHO LIVE HERE ENJOY TODAY. THROUGH DEBATES, QUESTIONS AND MOTIONS, MEMBERS HAVE OVER THE YEARS ARTICULATED THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON MANY ISSUES. HONOURABLE MEMBERS HAVE TODAY SHOWN, ONCE AGAIN, THAT THEY SPEAK CAREFULLY AND RESPONSIBLY. THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THEIR AIM IS TO MAKE A CONSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF AN OBJECTIVE WHICH IS SHARED BY ALL, THAT IS TO SAY, AN ARRANGEMENT FOR THE FUTURE WHICH WILL SATISFY BRITAIN AND CHINA AND WHICH WILL, AT THE SAME TIME, CARRY CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG. MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN WITH A DEEP SENSE OF COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG. AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE DEBATE FOR WHICH THIS MOTION CALL WILL, WHEN IT TAKES PLACE, DO OTHER THAN HELP, AND CERTAINLY IT WILL NOT HINDER THE CACHIEVEMENT OF THAT OBJECTIVE.

10. FOR ALL THESE REASONS, MR PRESIDENT, OFFICIAL MEMBERS WILL VOTE IN FAVOUR OF THE MOTION''

YOUDE

(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

PLANNING STAFF

/PUSI

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PES.B. (MR WALKER

LEGAL ADVISER (SIR IAN SINCLAIR

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

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SIR W HARDING

TR WILSON

AR WRIGHT

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