TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 124

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NOR HAS THE JOINT LIAISON OF HONG KONG, NOR WILL IT. IS A MEANS OF CONSULTATION

HONG KONG AND ITS PEOPLE.

GROUP INTERFERED IN THE ADMINISTRATION

IT IS NOT A SHADOW GOVERNMENT. IT AND COOPERATION IN THE INTERESTS OF

I THINK THE AREA WHERE MOST CONTROVERSY HAS ARISEN IS THAT OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM. THAT IS NOT SURPRISING: THERE ARE DEEPLY AND SINCERELY HELD VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT IN THIS COMMUNITY AS IN ANY OTHER AND THEY DIFFER. THE CLASH OF SUCH VIEWS IN DEBATE IS BOUND TO PRODUCE TENSION, AND EVEN BITTERNESS. ANYONE WHO HAS SPENT ANY TIME IN PARLIAMENT AT WESTMINSTER CAN TELL YOU THAT.

AND

SO WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED SO FAR? THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, HMG, HAVE RESPONDED, AND ARE RESPONDING TO THE WIDELY EXPRESSED DESIRE IN HONG KONG FOR MORE PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT.

IT IS ONLY 3 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST ELECTED SEATS OF ANY KIND WERE INTRODUCED IN LEGCO. ONLY 6 YEARS LATER, IN 1991, TEN DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS WILL BE INTRODUCED. THAT IS, I BELIEVE, A REASONABLE RESPONSE TO THE WIDESPREAD WISH FOR EVOLUTION TO BE STEADY AND GRADUAL. FURTHER CHANGES WILL BE NECESSARY AFTER 1991 TO MEET THE JOINT DECLARATION PROVISION FOR A FULLY ELECTED

LEGISLATURE.

ALL THIS WILL PERMIT A SMOOTH TRANSITION TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW, WHICH, IT IS NOW CLEAR, WILL INCLUDE A DIRECTLY ELECTED COMPONENT IN THE POST-1997 LEGISLATURE. WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN JUST 4 YEARS.

AND SO HAS THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW. WE WELCOME THE CLOSE INVOLVEMENT OF HONG KONG PEOPLE IN THE PROCESS OF DRAFTING AND CONSULTATION, AND WE WELCOME THE STEPS BEING TAKEN BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO SEEK HONG KONG OPINION.

FIVE YEARS AGO I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BEYOND BELIEF THAT A COMMITTEE OF THE CHINESE LEGISLATURE SHOULD HAVE PRODUCED A MASSIVE TEXT CONTAINING THIS DEGREE OF DETAIL, INCORPORATING, OFTEN VERBATIM, VIRTUALLY ALL THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION.

HOWE

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