UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2877
OF 1010OOZ DECEMBER 92
UNCLASSIFIED
MAR 02/1
TOP COPY ODIST?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
p.a. Leglo (14)
152526
MDLIAN 1161
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: ADJOURNMENT DEBATE.
SUMMARY
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AT THE LEGCO SITTING ON 9 DECEMBER, MARTIN LEE MOVED AN AD JOURNMENT DEBATE ON 'ECONOMIC STABILITY AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT'. ALTOGETHER 18 NON-OFFICIAL MEMBERS SPOKE ON THE TOPIC: FS REPLIED ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
DETAIL
2. MARTIN LEE STARTED BY REFERRING TO THE RECENT SLUMP IN THE STOCK MARKET AND PUT THE BLAME ON CHINA. HE SAID THAT DESPITE CHINESE FIERCE CRITICISMS THERE WERE STILL A LOT OF SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. POLITICAL REFORM WAS UNAVOIDABLE: BOTH THE JD AND THE BL ENVISAGED A FULLY ELECTED LEGCO BY 1997, BUT CHINA HAD REFUSED TO ACCEPT THIS REALITY AND EVEN TRIED TO UNDERMINE HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. LEE APPEALED TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO REMAIN CALM, RESTRAINED AND RATIONAL IN THIS DIFFICULT PERIOD. THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE A LONG-TERM VISION AND REALISE THAT THEY COULD HAVE BOTH GREAT ER DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC STABILITY. HE URGED CHINA TO QUICKLY RESUME TALKS WITH HMG/HKG.
3.
OTHER LIBERAL MEMBERS SPOKE ALONG MUCH THE SAME LINE. CHRISTINE LOH ARGUED THE IMPORTANCE OF ESTABLISHING A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA: ONE IN WHICH HONG KONG'S VIEWS WOULD BE RESPECTED, AND WHICH PUT INTO PRACTICE THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY PROMISED IN THE JD. JIMMY MCGREGOR SUGGESTED A MOTION DEBATE IN MID-JANUARY ON EACH OF OUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS, GIVING LEGCO THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUGGEST AMENDMENTS TO THESE PROPOSALS. ON THE BASIS OF THE OUTCOME OF THE DEBATE, THE ADMINISTRATION COULD THEN PUT FORTH DRAFT LEGISLATION TO LEGCO.
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THE CRC CAMP, LED BY ALLEN LEE, SPOKE ON THE PREDICAMENT AND HELPLESSNESS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, CAUGHT UP IN A ROW BETWEEN
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