TNAG-2456-FCO40-3577-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-presentation-1992 — Page 129

07-OCT-1992 23:56

HK GOVERNMENT HOUSE

852 521 1868

P.09

AGENCY REPORTS ON POLICY ADDRESS

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today gave

The four news agencies Reuter, AFP, AP and UPI extensive coverage to Governor Chris Patten's maiden speech.

Reuter said that in unveiling his blueprint for Hong Kong's last five years as

a British colony, Mr Patten proposed democratic reforms that he said would safeguard its future prosperity under Chinese rule.

Reuter also said that Mr Patten trod a careful line between open defiance of Peking's Communist rulers and

and his own convictions that democracy lay at the heart of preserving Hong Kong's success story.

Reuter said that Mr Patten's speech marked the launch of an intensive public campaign to break the mould of Britain's traditionally stuffy colonial style of government by whipping up public debate and support.

According to Reuter Mr Patten fiercely defended plans for the new airport, saying it was vital to Hong Kong's prosperity and vowing it would be built despite foot-dragging by Peking over financing. Whether it would be built before he left was another matter.

Reuter said that what was most likely to anger Peking and divide local politicians were surprise proposals to legislative and local councils in the next round of polls due in 1995.

AP said that in the shakeup of a political system that had been run like a cozy colonial club for 150 years, the main victim was the Executive Council. AP said Mr Patten fired seven of the Council's nine members and ordered that officials no longer could sit simultaneously on both the Executive Council and the Legislative Council.

According to AP, Mr Patten said that the changes he proposed would not be made law until, an agreement could be reached with China during his visit to Peking later this month.

In a report from London, Reuter said that the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, said the plan for democracy presented by Mr Fatten was the best way forward for the colony.

In a statement from Downing Street, Mr Major was quoted as saying: "All of us know the great importance of Britain's responsibilities towards the people of Hong Kong. The Governor has consulted widely in Hong Kong on the agenda for the next five years and I fully endorse his approach, which I am certain represents the best way forward for Hong Kong".

Labour Party's foreign affairs spokesman Allan Rogers gave the plan a qualified welcome, but said: "I don't think they go far enough to extend the democratic process prior to 1997. This will make incredibly difficult to extend it post-1997. China will always want to restrain the pace of reform and that is why I would have hoped that he could have adopted a far stronger attitude".

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