1992-12-04 19:08 COMMS OFFICE (GOVT HOUSE)
852 526 0995 P.24
DELIGHTED THAT, I THINK THREE OR FOUR, HONOURABLE MEMBERS HAVE BEGUN
TO PUT FORWARD THEIR OWN IDEAS.
LET ME THEN TURN TO THE POINT WHICH THE HONOURABLE MEMBER MADE
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SORTS OF MANDATE IN THIS COUNCIL. THE LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL IS AS IT IS. IT WOULD BE WRONG OF ME TO MAKE DISTINCTIONS
BETWEEN DIFFERENT HONOURABLE MEMBERS.
THE COMMUNITY KNOWS WHAT
DOUBTLESS THE COMMUNITY MAKES
HAPPENED IN THE ELECTIONS IN 1991 AND
CERTAIN JUDGMENTS AS A RESULT OF THOSE ELECTION RESULTS. BUT IT WOULD
BE WHOLLY WRONG OF ME TO MAKE DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN HONOURABLE MEMBERS,
ACCORDING TO THE BACKGROUNDS FROM WHICH THEY CAME. THOSE BACKGROUNDS
WILL OF COURSE CHANGE IN 1995, 1999 AND IN SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS TO THE
COUNCIL.
ELSIE TU: SIR, AS A TEACHER, I WOULD LIKE TO STAND UP. I HAVE
CORRESPONDENCE HERE TO PROVE THAT IN 1978, BRITAIN REFUSED TO BEGIN
GRADUAL PROGRESS TOWARDS DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG ON THE GROUNDS THAT
CHINA WAS OPPOSED TO IT AND THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S OVERRIDING
CONCERN WAS TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG. SINCE
YOUR GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT DE-STABILISE HONG KONG UNDER BRITISH
ADMINISTRATION, WHY IS IT PREPARED TO SEE HONG KONG DE-STABILISED BY A
FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRACY NOW THAT THE BRITISH ARE LEAVING?
GOVERNOR: WELL, I'M SURE THAT THE HONOURABLE LADY WOULD FIRST OF ALL
WANT TO CONFIRM THAT WHATEVER I MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR, WHAT MINISTERS
SAID IN 1978, OR WHAT OTHERS SAID IN 1978, OR WHAT GOVERNORS SAID IN
1978, ISN'T ENTIRELY MY RESPONSIBILITY. IF THE HONOURABLE LADY IS
SAYING THAT IT HAS BEEN ARGUED IN THE PAST THAT THERE COULD BE NO
GREATER PROGRESS TO DEMOCRACY BECAUSE CHINA WOULD OBJECT TO THAT, THEN
I'M INTERESTED TO HEAR HER PUTTING THAT ARGUMENT. IT'S PERFECTLY
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