TNAG-1752-FCO40-2472-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 129

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IN ITS COMPLIANCE WITH COMMITMENTS MADE IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. WHAT WAS SIGNIFICANT TO HK PEOPLE IN THE DEBATE WAS THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, HAD DISCLOSED THE STAND OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS. IN SHORT, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S STAND WAS TO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF PUBLIC OPINION IN HK AND THE WISHES OF CHINA SHOULD NOT BE VIOLATED. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS STAND WAS IN LINE WITH THE ANALYSIS BY THE MEDIA IN HK. SIR GEOFFREY HAD ADMITTED THAT THE QUESTION OF DIRECT

ELECTIONS SHOULD NOT BE DRAGGED ON ANY FURTHER AND THAT A CLEAR ANSWER SHOULD BE MADE IN THE WHITE PAPER TO BE PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY. THAT WAS TO SAY, THE HK GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE A CLEAR PROMISE ON WHEN DIRECT ELECTIONS WOULD BE INTRODUCED INT THE WHITE PAPER.

THE PAPER FELT THAT SIR GEOFFREY WAS ABLE TO MAKE SUCH A CLEAR

INDICATION ON THE TIMETABLE AT THIS MOMENT BECAUSE BRITAIN HAD ALREADY SOUGHT A TACIT UNDERSTANDING WITH CHINA. AND THE INTRODUCTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991 WAS OBVIOUSLY A CONCLUSION REACHED

BY THE TWO COUNTRIES.

WILSON

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