TNAG-1720-FCO40-2400-Hong-Kong-1987-Review-of-Representative-Government-1988 — Page 137

MAR 18 '88 01:41 GIS HK

DRAFT COPY

This draft is subic t

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must not be

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amendment and

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6. broadcast

without being cheelava sprchy, JP

Remarks by the Hon the Chief Secretary as delivered by the the Amendment to the potion

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Própbbed by the Hon Martin Lee

REVISED

Sir,

As I said yesterday, when moving the motion standing in y name, we do not expect every member of this Council to support everything in the White Paper. The original motion offers Members the opportunity to debate any of the issues to which do refers. To amend it to draw attention to one particular aspect is, in my viaw, unnec858eTY,

I have listened very carefully to everything Mr Martin Loc

In trying ta enlist the

has had to say in favour of his amendment.. support of Members, he has repeated arguments which I believe are well

known to most of us.

I dealt at length yesterday with the pointe made by Mr Lee and I will not test Members' patience further by repeating all the reasons why the Government concluded that direct elections should be introduced in 1991 rather than 1988.

I mmd en mi pr 14iza *

2 ZAYİRƏM 271 j 7479 Mr Martin Lee's comech that he does seem continue to see sinister imaginations where none exist. Hele continued to make great play of the criticisms of the AGB McNair survyes as if these were the only basia on which public opinion wae asaegsed. Indeed, he had described the AGB McNair surveys us the cornerstone of the Government's audesement. This really is an absurd suggestion. As I have said yesterday, the arguements on whet interpretation and what weight should be given to any particular form of expression of opinion can go on andiessly, and we've seen further evidence of that this afternoon. Now I wish to emphasias that the Government hse taken into account all views and not just any particular survey or any particular form of submission

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