TNAG-1356-FCO40-1797-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 72

FORM SPELT OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE DIRECTION IS CLEAR.

THE GOAL IS DEFINED. THE PACE IS OURS TO DETERMINE.'

(C) MR. HO SAI-CHU (IN CANTONESE) :

THE FACT THAT BOTH

'I ALSO WELCOME YOUR REMARKS ABOUT GOVERNMENTS HAVE PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO CONSULT EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THEREFORE URGE ALL CONCERNED WHO MAY HAVE VIEWS ON THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS THROUGH THE RELEVANT CHANNELS ... ANY POLITICAL REFORMS

.....

DURING THE PRESENT TRANSITIONAL PERIOD SHOULD BE INTRODUCED CAUTIOUSLY AND LINKED TO THE FUTURE CONSTITUTION OF HONG KONG: IN OTHER WORDS, POLITICAL REFORMS SHOULD ONLY BE MADE IN TANDEM WITH THE BASIC LAW WHICH IS TO BE DRAFTED AND PASSED BY THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS.'

(D) MR. MARTIN LEE :

(1)

1

.....

IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THE PRINCIPLE OF ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS''. CAN WORK EFFICIENTLY, IT IS THOUGHT BY BOTH (THE BRITISH AND CHINESE) GOVERNMENTS THAT THE POLITCAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG MUST CHANGE IN AT LEAST 3 AREAS

SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR A MORE OPEN, RESPONSIBLE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT, WITH A HIGH DEGREE

OF AUTONOMY.'

(EM)

A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE WILLING TO DO THEIR PART TO MAKE (THE ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS'' CONCEPT WORK..... BUT THERE IS A DOUBT IN THEIR MINDS: WILL CHINA INTERFERE IN THE INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG

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(FF) MANY BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY POSSIBLE SAFEGUARD IS TO EVOLVE A SYSTEM WHICH WILL PRODUCE A REALLY EFFECTIVE AND HIGHLY AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE SAR SO THAT IT CAN WITHSTAND SUCH ATTEMPTS TO INTERFERE..... AND WHAT CAN BE BETTER THAN A SYSTEM WHERE THOSE IN POWER ARE PUT THERE BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND CAN THEREFORE BE REMOVED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG..... THE JOINT DECLARATION (PROVIDES) THAT THE EXECUTIVE SHALL BE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE WHICH SHALL BE CONSTITUTED BY ELECTIONS. BUT THESE PROVISIONS WILL BE MEANINGLESS UNLESS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL APE ELECTED DIRECTLY

BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.'

....

(IV) (DIRECT ELECTION) IS OUR ONLY HOPE TO REALISE THE IDEAL OF ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS'' TAKE THAT AWAY, AND THE BEAUTIFUL AND COURAGEOUS DREAM OF A GRAND OLD MAN WILL TURN INTO A NIGHTMARE: AND OUR FREEDOMS CAN NO LONGER BE SAFEGUARDED.''

(V) 'Į SUGGEST THAT THE MOST NATURAL AND LOGICAL SECOND STEP IN THE DIRECTION TOWARDS A MORE OPEN, RESPONSIBLE AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IS TO INTRODUCE DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988... IT IS OBVIOUS TO ALL THOSE OF US WHO HAD, IN OUR RESPECTIVE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS, PLEDGED TO SUPPORT THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTION IN 1988, HAVE RECEIVED

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RESTRICTED

A CLEAR