TNAG-2457-FCO40-3578-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-presentation-1992 — Page 63

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REPORTS NOTED (15.10) LEGCO HAD PASSED A MOTION SUPPORTING THE SETTING UP OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE IN 1995 BY DIRECTLY ELECTED

DB MEMBERS.

So Choos FOR SIGNIFICANT POLICY CHANGES IN THE TRANSITION.

will oppose Lousing help?

нер

11. THE PRO-CHINA PRESS CARRIED MANY COMMENTARIES OVER THE PERIOD HEAVILY CRITICISING THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS ON POLITICAL REFORMS (8-16.10). TA KUNG PAO SAID (8.10) AS THE GOVERNOR PAINTED BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR YET ANOTHER ROSE GARDEN IN HK, HE SHOULD HAVE REALISED IT WAS IMPORTANT TO SECURE CHINA'S SUPPORT IT CITED THE PROPOSED ''SANDWICH'' HOUSING SCHEME AS AN EXAMPLE WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE SANCTIONED BY THE LAND COMMISSION. THE PAPER COMMENTED THE GOVERNOR HAD TRIED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS VIA THE ELECTION COMMITTEE PROPOSAL WHICH MADE USE OF LOOPHOLES IN THE BL. AS THE GOVERNOR HAD NOT CONSULTED CHINA BEFORE ANNOUNCING THE POLITICAL BULEPRINT, THIS WOULD DERAIL THE THROUGH TRAIN AND THE 'ROSE GARDEN'' PAINTED BY THE GOVERNOR WOULD JUST BE AN ILLUSION. WEN WEN PO SAID (18.10) THE POLICY ADDRESS WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO CONVERGENCE. IT CARRIED A REPORT FILED BY ITS REPORTERS IN PEKING WHICH QUOTED SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH HK AFFAIRS AS AYING CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS

PROPOSED IN THE ADDRESS WO

FROM THE OBJECTIVE OF CONVE

GIVE RISE TO UNREST AND DEVIATE

ING HK'S POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT WITH

THE BL. THE SOURCES WERE OF THE VIEW THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS DELIBERATELY STARTING A PUBLIC DEBATE TO FORCE CHINA TO AMEND THE BL. THE BL HAD CLEARLY STATED THAT HK SHOULD REMAIN EXECUTIVE- LED.

HOWEVER, THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP A COMMITTEE SYSTEM IN LEGCO AND SET UP A GOVERNMENT-LEGCO COMMITTEE WOULD ENABLE LEGCO MEMBERS TO TAKE PART IN POLICY MAKING AND UNDERMINE THE EFFICIENCY AND POWERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION. HIS PROPOSALS TO EXPAND THE POWER OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND TO TURN FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE INTO SOME FORM OF DIRECT ELECTIONS CONTRAVENED THE BL.

12. WEN WEI PO SAID (9.10) THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS WOULD NOT ONLY CONTRAVENE WITH BL, BUT ALSO THE THREE NPC RESOLUTIONS CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAR, THE SETTING UP OF A BL COMMITTEE AND THE PROCEDURES FOR RETURNING THE FIRST LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF THE SAR. THERE WOULD BE NON-CONVERGENCE IF BRITAIN FAILED TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE CHINESE ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS. WEN WEI PO (12.10) OPPOSED THE REFERENDUM PROPOSAL. IT SAID THE

PROPOSAL WOULD BE TANTAMOUNT TO HK PEOPLE VOTING AND DECIDING WHETHER THE CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HK STIPULATED IN THE BL WERE EFFECTIVE. HK WAS NOT AN INDEPENDENT STATE AND ANY MOVE BY HK PEOPLE TO VOTE ON THE FATE OF AN NPC DOCUMENT WOULD CONTRAVENE THE CONSTITUTION. SIMILAR ARGUMENTS WERE MADE IN TA

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