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35464
MDHI 1788
ON A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES TO THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, THE NEW FCO MINISTER WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG AND THE NEW GOVERNOR. MARTIN LEE OF UDHK TOLD THE PAPERS THAT THEY WOULD MEET ON THURSDAY TO DECIDE ON MEMBERSHIP AND DEPARTURE DATE OF THE DELEGATION, BUT WOULD GO BY THE END OF JUNE AT THE LATEST. THEY WOULD IMPRESS UPON LONDON THE IMPORTANCE OF UPHOLDING THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE NEED FOR GENUINE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HKG AND DIRECTLY ELECTED LEGCO MEMBERS.
REACTION
5. LOCAL REACTION CONTINUED TO BE GENERALLY POSITIVE. SOME PAPERS REPORTED THAT THE LEGCO IN-HOUSE MEETING CONVENOR, ELSIE TU, ON BEHALF OF ALL MEMBERS, HAD SENT A TELEGRAM TO CONGRATULATE MR PATTEN ON HIS APPOINTMENT,SAYING THAT MEMBERS HOPED FOR A CLOSE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN HIM AND LEGCO.
HOWEVER, A LEGCO MEMBER FEDERICK FUNG WHO WAS ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD, EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT MR PATTEN MIGHT PROTECT BRITAIN AND THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY'S INTERESTS MORE THAN HONG KONG'S HE WAS ALSO WORRIED THAT MR PATTEN MIGHT APPLY TORY POLICIES TO HONG KONG WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE INTERESTS OF THE WORKING CLASS.
EDITORIALS
7.
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THERE WAS ONLY ONE EDITORIAL ON THIS SUBJECT IN THE MAJOR PAPERS TODAY. IN A POSITIVE WAY, SING TOA DAILY SAID MR PATTEN'S SINCERITY IN STANDING UP FOR HONG KONG WOULD BE PUT TO THE TEST SOON AFTER HE ASSUMED OFFICE. HE MUST TAKE CONCRETE ACTION TO GUARANTEE THE TERRITORY'S FREEDOM, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. THIS COULD BE SEEN FROM HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHINA AND HIS EFFORTS AT SPEEDING UP DEMOCRATISATION. THE PAPER HOPED MR PATTEN WOULD TAKE GOOD ADVICE FROM THE GOVERNOR AND BEL FLEXIBLE IN DEALING WITH CHINA, THEREBY WINNING THE TRUST AND UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.
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