TNAG-1438-FCO40-1922-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 143

Date

Constitutional Reforms (37)

Statements by Chinese

Officials

Statements by Government News Comments/Editorials

Officials

Statements/Comments

by others

11.12.85

12.12.85

(Li Hou, BLDC Secretary General, quoted by Lau Nai-keung of Meeting Point): A totalitarian government would definitely not be introduced in HK.

(Chief Secretary Sir David Akers-Jones): The Government would not pronounce on the Legco members' proposals on political reforms until the 1987 review but would continue to progressively evaluate the working of the present system at all levels. The Legco should develop its own new style of work to reflect its new responsibilities. The Government is considering setting up a select

committee to review the Council's Standing

Order.

(report) (Lord Kadoorie, interviewed by Ta Kung Pao): HK's political reforms should be carried out progressively and any rapid changes would only cause mistakes. HK's future prosperity, as was its past success, should be founded on a "benevolent oligarchy".

(Chinese University

Students' Union): There

should be direct

elections to Legco if the

council was to be

accountable to the HK people.

Non-communist Papers

(Financial Daily): It was believed that the compatibility between the Basic Law and the local political reforms was discussed at Ji Pengfei's meeting with the Governor yesterday. Clearly China wanted to come up with provisions on HK's future political system before the 1987 review in the hope of influencing the review.