TNAG-1752-FCO40-2472-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 130

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11. IN ITS EDITORIAL, SING PAO ALSO FELT THAT MPS' VIEWS ON THE QUESTION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS WERE IN LINE WITH THOSE OF HK PEOPLE. THEY GENERALLY FELT THAT A TIMETABLE SHOULD BE SET FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS. WHAT SHOULD BE NOTED IN SIR GEOFFREY'S SPEECHES WAS THAT HE HAD REJECTED CLAIMS THAT BRITIAIN WAS SEEKING GOOD RELATIONS WITH CHINA AT THE EXPENSE OF THE INTERESTS OF HK PEOPLE.

12. WAH KIU YAT PO NOTED THAT THE VIEWS EXPRESSED AT THE DEBATE WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE CONTAINED IN THE SURVEY OFFICE REPORT. WHAT WE SHOULD DO NOW WAS TO FIGHT FOR THE STIPULATION OF DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1991. IN THE WHITE PAPER.

13. THE EXPRESS COMMENTED ON THE DEBATE IN TWO EDITORIALS. IN THE LONGER EDITORIAL, THE PAPER SAID THAT AS BRITAIN AND HK HAD CHANGED THEIR PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM UNDER GREAT PRESSURE AND DIRECT INTERVENTION FROM CHINA, IT WAS UNREALISTIC TO EXPRECT THAT THE BRITISH-HK GOVERNMENT WOULD LIVE UP TO ITS PROMISES MADE IN THE 1984 POLITICAL REVIEW. IN VIEW OF THIS, THE DEBATE WOULD ONLY SERVE A TOKEN PURPOSE THAT THE BRITISH WERE STILL EXERCISING ITS ADMINISTRATIVE RIGHTS OVER HK DURING THE TRANSITION AND THAT BRITAIN STILL RESPECTED THE REFLECTION OF LOCAL PUBLIC OPINION. BUT THE PAPER CONCEDED THAT THIS WOULD BE USEFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE TO MAINTAINING HK'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY ASWELL AS FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY AND RIGHTS IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997.

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IN A SHORTER COMMENTARY, THE EXPRESS SAID SIR GEOFFREY'S WINDING-UP SPEECH SHOWED THAT A DECISION MIGHT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE WHITE PAPER ON THE BASIS OF SEEKING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA.THE WHITE PAPER MIGHT STREEE ''CONVERGENCE' THE NEED FOR PROGRESSIVE REFORMS AND THE RETENTION OF APPOINTED SEATS WITHOUT RULING OUT THE EXPANSION OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES.

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