TNAG-1752-FCO40-2472-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 149

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FM PEKING

IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 157

OF 250721Z JANUARY 88

AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

HKB. 04012

000444

MDHIAN 4844

TOP COPY QDIST ?

MY TELNO 145: PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON HONG KONG : CHINESE PRESS

COVERAGE.

1. THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY ENGLISH LANGUAGE BULLETIN ON 21 JANUARY CARRIED THE SAME TEXT AS THAT GIVEN IN PARA 1 OF MY TUR BUT WITH THE

ADDITION OF THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS:

BEGINS:

HOWE SAID THE MAIN FOCUS OF POLITICAL DEBATE IN HONG KONG NOW IS

WHETHER AND WHEN DIRECT ELECTIONS HOULD BE ESTABLISHED FOR ITS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, A LAWMAKING BODY WHOSE MEMBER ARE NOW APPOINTED OR INDIRECTLY ELECTED. HE NOTED THAT OPINIONS ARE SHARPLY DIVIDED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT DIRECT ELECTIONS SHOULD BE INTRODUCED THIS YEAR.

ULTIMATELY, HE INDICATED, HONG KONG WILL HAVE TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WHICH FITS ITS OWN REQUIREMENTS RESPECTS THE WISHES OF THE COMMUNITY AND REFLECTS HONG KONG'S SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND

CONDITIONS.

''THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED THAT THE TERRITORY'S

POSITION AND REPUTATION AS A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDED'' HE SAID, ADDING THAT BRITAIN IS WORKING TO ''SUSTAIN CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE, BOTH WITHIN THE TERRITORY ITSELF AND IN THE WIDER INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY''

HOWE TOLD THE HOUSE OF COMMONS THE WATCHWORDS OF THE FUTURE OF HONG

KONG REMAIN ''PROSPERITY AND STABILITY''.

ENDS.

EVANS

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