TNAG-1559-FCO40-2123-Future-of-Hong-Kong-nationality-and-passports-Hong-Kong-(Br-1986 — Page 63

IN MY

AN EX-SERVICEMAN, JACK EDWARDS, SAID ON RADIO-3'S OPINION YESTERDAY THAT HE HOPED THE GOVERNMENT WOULD ALLOW ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO JOIN THE TEAM OF HK OFFICIALS THAT WOULD VISIT LONDON TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ON THE ETHNIC MINORITIES

AND EX-SERVICEMEN HERE.

ASKED ON NEWS PLUS' TO COMMENT ON A CONSPIRACY THEORY THAT HK PEOPLE WERE MADE TO HAVE LOWER AND LOWER EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE, MRS SELINA CHOW SAND THIS WOULD BE TO THE DETRIMENT OF ALL THREE PARTIES, AS IT WOULD ERODE CONFIDENCE IN HK, WHICH IS NEEDED FOR ITS CONTINUED PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. SHE SAID SHE WAS SURPRISED BY MR RENTON'S REMARKS ON LEGCO TOWARDS THE END OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE AND DESCRIBED THE REMARKS AS A LITTLE WORRYING AND

AMBIVALENT.

PRESS COMMENTARIES

NON-COMMUNIST PAPERS

MR RENTON'S PRESS CONFERENCE DREW DIVERSE VIEWS FROM FIVE PAPERS IN SIX EDITORIALS IN THIS SECTION OF THE PRESS. WHILE SING PAO SAID MR RENTON HAD BROUGHT ALONG ENCOURAGING NEWS. THE NATIONAL IST HK TIMES WAS DISAPPOINTED BY THE MINISTER'S REMARKS. THE FINANCIAL DAILY AND THE EXPRESS SAW MR RENTON'S REMARKS ON THE CONVERGENCE BETWEEN POLITICAL REFORMS HERE AND THE BASIC LAW AS AN INDICATION THAT REFORMS IN HK WOULD HAVE TO BE GUIDED BY THE

BASIC LAW.

SING PAO SAD SINCE BOUTH CHINA AND BRITAIN HAD NO PRE-CONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN HK AND BECAUSE BOT SIDES HAD PLEDGED TO HEED PUBLIC OPINION, NO MAJOR DIFFICULTY IN THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE WAS EXPECTED. IF PROBLEMS DID CROP UP,

THEY COULD BE RESOLVED BY THE JLC. IF THE JLG FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS, BOTH SIDES COULD HOLD TALKS AT THE MINISTERIAL LEVEL.

THE HK DAILY NEWS SAID MR RENTON'S REMARKS HAD INCREASED

PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL REFORMS

HERE AND THE BASIC LAW AND WOULD BOOST CONFIDENCE HERE. THE PAPER

FELT THAT DISAGREEMENT AND CONFRONTATION COULD NEVER RESOLVE

DIFFERENCES WHICH COULD ONLY BE SORTED OUT THROUGH NEGOTIATION AND

CONSULTATION. THEREFORE THE JLG WOULD HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY DURING THE TRANSITION. ON POLITICAL REFORMS, THE PAPER

SAND IT WAS NECESSARY TO INTRODUCE CHANGES GRADUALLY IF HK WERE TO ENJOY A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN 11 YEARS. HOWEVER, SUCH REFORMS

SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE

TERRITORY'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THESE FACTORS WERE THE RULE

OF LAW AND FREEDOM RATHER THAN DEMOCRACY.

THE EXPRESS SAID THAT ON THE QUESTION OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN THE

BASIC LAW AND POLITICAL REFORMS, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE THAT ONE WOULD

NOT BE GUIDED BY THE OTHER. IT WAS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT THE

BASIC LAW WOULD BECOME THE GUIDING FORCE, THE PAPER SAID.

3 -

1ON