TNAG-2392-FCO40-3478-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 83

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HKA OIO/1

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FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELNO 202

OF 221115Z JANUARY 92

L

72311

INFO IMMEDIATE HKGO LONDON, PEKING

21

024553

MDHIAN 0212

TOP COPY Q DIST?

HKD PLEASE PASS COPY TO GOVERNOR (VISITING)

HKGO LONDON PERSONAL FOR YAXLEY

20

MY TELNO 186: APPOINTMENT OF THE NEXT GOVERNOR:

DEBATE

LEGCO MOTION

BEFORE THE START OF THE DEBATE, CHIM PUI-CHUNG GAVE NOTICE THAT HE WOULD MOVE AN AMENDMENT TO MARTIN LEE'S AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. HIS AMENDMENT WAS TO ADD AFTER ''JOINT DECLARATION' THE PHRASES ''ENSURING THE SMOOTH TRANSITION OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, PROMOTING THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG SOCIETY AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. AND AFTER ''DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG THE PHRASE ''IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW AND ACTUAL CIRCUMSTANCES''

2.

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"

21 MEMBERS SPOKE IN THE DEBATE. THE SPEECHES FOCUSED ON THREE MAIN THEMES:

A)

PRAISE FOR THE GOVERNOR FOR AN EXCELLENT JOB DONE FOR THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS:

B)

CRITICISM OF HMG FOR ANNOUNCING THE RETIREMENT OF THE GOVERNOR WITHOUT NAMING A SUCCESSOR:

AND

C)

3.

DEBATE ON WHAT QUALIFICATIONS THE NEXT GOVERNOR SHOULD POSSESS. THIS TURNED INTO SOMETHING OF A POLITICAL ARGUMENT BETWEEN THE LIBERALS AND THE REST, CENTRED ON WHETHER MARTIN LEE'S PROPOSED QUALIFICATIONS OR THE ADDITIONS PROPOSED BY

CHIM PUI-CHUNG WOULD BETTER SUIT HONG KONG'S REQUIREMENTS. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE EMPHASIS ON OTHER QUALITIES OR QUALIFICATIONS EXPECTED IN THE NEW GOVERNOR. MOST OF THE POINTS MADE WERE PREDICTABLE.

CHIM'S AMENDMENT WAS NOT SUPPORTED. THERE WAS AN EVEN VOTE FOR MARTIN LEE'S AMENDMENT. THE DP GAVE THE CASTING VOTE AGAINST MARTIN LEE'S AMENDMENT, GUIDED BY UK PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE.

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