TNAG-1599-FCO40-2192-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1987 — Page 62

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BASIC LAW : BLDC VI: DAY 5: SPEECH BY MARTIN LEE: PRESS REPORTS

SUMMARY

MARTIN LEE SPOKE AGAINST ABRUPT POLITICAL CHANGES IN 1997. SHARP REMARKS ON THE ADVERSE EFFECT WHICH THE CHINESE OFFICIALS HAD CAUSED BY THEIR STATEMENTS AGAINST DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. CRITICISED OTHER DRAFTERS FOR PUTTING FORWARD UNDEMOCRATIC PROPOSALS ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM.

DETAIL

2. MARTIN LEE SAID THAT MOST DRAFTERS WERE IN FAVOUR OF SELECTING THE FIRST CE BY CONSULTATION AND ESTABLISHING A NEW LEGISLATURE IN 1997 AFTER THE DISSOLUTION OF THE LAST LEGCO SO AS TO GIVE EXPRESSION TO THE RESUMPTION OF THE EXERCISE OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY. BUT IN HIS OWN VIEW, THE INTRODUCTION OF POLITICAL CHANGES IN 1997 FOR THE SAKE OF GIVING RECOGNITION TO CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY WOULD JEOPARDISE A SMOOTH TRANSITION.

3. LEE SAID THAT SINCE 1984, MORE AND MORE HK PEOPLE HAD BECOME DOUBTFUL THAT THE PROMISES IN THE JD WOULD BE FULFILLED. THE INCREASE IN THE EMIGRATION FIGURES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WAS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY STATEMENTS MADE BY CHINESE OFFICIALS AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988. SUCH STATEMENTS HAD LED HK PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THE CHINESE WERE SURPRESSING THE DEMOCRATIC ASPIRATIONS OF HK PEOPLE IN A HIGH-HANDED MANNER. HE THOUGHT THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS DEALING WITH HK AFFAIRS HAD MADE SOME VERY SERIOUS MISTAKED IN RELATION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM IN

HK.

THE ONLY WAY TO REBUILD CONFIDENCE WOULD BE TO HEED PUBLIC VIEWS AND TO PROVIDE IN THE BL FOR A CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS IN THE LEGISLATURE. BUT THE IMPRESSION WHE GOT FROM THE CURRENT BLDC PLENUM WAS THAT THE POLITICAL SYSTEM WAS MOVING AWAY FROM DEMOCRACY, SINCE THE DRAFTERS SUPPORTED UNDEMOCRATIC PROPOSALS LIKE INDIRECT ELECTION, ELECTION OF CANDIDATES NOMINATED BY THE CE, AND ELECTION WITHIN A SMALL CIRCLE (I.E. THE GEC) LEE

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