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16.4 REPORTS) WARNED HK PEOPLE AGAINST MAKING COMMENTS THAT WOULD AFFECT THE SMOOTH PROGRESS OF THE AIRPORT TALKS.
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, LU PING, 16.4 REPORTS) SAID THAT THE CHINESE WERE AWAITING A DECISION FROM THE BRITISH ON THE DATE OF THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS. LU PING SAID (16.4 REPORTS) THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD PUT FORWARD A REASONABLE PROPOSAL ON THE NEW AIRPORT AND THAT IT WAS UP TO THE BRITISH-HK GOVERNMENT TO MAKE A DECISION. HE SAID THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS TO ENSURE A HIGH-QUALITY AIRPORT WITHOUT THE NEED TO RESORT TO TAX INCREASES AND FUND-RAISING AND AMPLE RESERVES WOULD BE LEFT TO THE SAR GOVERNMENT. R-1 AND R-3 REPORTED (16.4) THAT EXCO WOULD CONSIDER AMONG OTHER OPTIONS WHETHER TO SHELVE THE AIRPORT PROJECT.
COURT OF FINAL APPEAL
PRESIDENT OF THE LAW SOCIETY DONALD YAP SAID THAT THE HK COMMUNITY FELT THAT THE EARLIER THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL WAS SET UP, THE BETTER BECAUSE THE TERRITORY NEEDED TIME TO TRAIN ITS JUDGES. HE SAID THAT THERE SHOULD BE FOREIGN JUDGES IN THE COURT. CHAIRMAN OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION ANTHONY ROGERS SAID THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO SET UP THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO AS TO REPLACE THE WORK OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL ON HK'S APPEAL CASES AND TO EXERCISE THE POWER OF FINAL ADJUDICATION AS SET OUT
IN THE BL.
BILL OF RIGHTS
THE HK LAW SOCIETY SAID THAT HK SHOULD SET UP A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO SAFEGUARD CIVIL LIBERTIES AFTER 1997 BECAUSE SUCH A COMMITTEE WOULD PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL CHANNEL FOR PEOPLE TO LODGE THEIR APPEALS WHEN THEY WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH COURT RULINGS.
THE SOCIETY FELT THAT HK'S INTERESTS WOULD BEST BE PROTECTED IF THE TERRITORY HAD A COMPREHENSIVE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW AND THAT
CHINA BECAME A SIGNATORY TO THE TWO INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS
COVENANTS.?
CHINESE LEADERS
THE FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, JI PENGFEI, WAS QUOTED IN AN INTERVIEW IN THE OUTLOOK WEEKLY (15.4) THAT CHINA WAS DETERMINED TO REALISE THE ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS'' CONCEPT AND HAD NO INTENTION OF INTERFERING WITH THE
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