TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 71

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MIPT: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: SECOND MEETING OF THE JLG REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

FOLLOWING ARE EXTRACTS OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF SOME UNOFFICIALS' SPEECHES.

(A) MR. STEPHEN CHEONG :

(1) DESPITE THE FACT THAT BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA HAVE SO OPENLY AND REPEATEDLY DECLARED THEIR COMMON OBJECTIVES FOR HONG KONG, THE LEVEL OF MUTUAL MISTRUST BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES STILL APPEARS TO BE HIGHER.'

(HM) 'F WOULD THEREFORE URGE BOTH PARTIES TO INTERACT WITH SYMPATHY, UNDERSTANDING AND DUE CONSIDERATION FOR OUR ANXIETIES, AND TO WORK CLOSELY AND PRAGMATICALLY TOWARDS DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS THAT COULD MANIFESTLY FOSTER AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.'

(KKP) 'A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY FOR THE SAR GOVERNMENT IS NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH INDEPENDENCE, NOR WITH THE FREEDOM OF ACTION ONE NORMALLY ASSOCIATES WITH DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT BASED ON UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.'

(IV) 'AS OF LATE, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE HAS BEEN UNDUE HASTE ON THE PART OF CERTAIN GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO FORCE ONTON THE COMMUNITY A FUTURE FORM OF GOVERNMENT LONG BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE HAS HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW, IN 1987, HTS PRESENT STRUCTURE. THIS HIGH DEGREE OF EXCITEMENT COUPLED WITH THE CALL FOR DIRECTLY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ACCOMPANYING THE PROPOSED FORMATION OF THE BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE SEEMS TO BE PART OF THAT UNDUE

HASTE.'

(V) 'SAVE FOR IDEOLOGICAL BELIEFS, I MUST CONFESS I FAIL TO SEE ANY PRAGMATIC REASON WHY HONG KONG NEEDS TO BE THAT IMPATIENT TO ESTABLISH BEYOND ANY DOUBT THE DESIRABILITY OF DIRECT ELECTIONS.'

(B) MRS. SELINA CHOW :

(1) 'ELECTIONS IS NOT ITSELF AN END. BUT MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, IT MUST IN NO WAY PUT AT RISK THE STABILITY HONG KONG HAS AND NEEDS?'

.... OUR CONSTITUTIONAL PEFORM MUST PROGRESS TOWARDS THE

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