UNCLASSIFIED
105274
MDHOAN 8686
MDHOAN
SUFFRAGE. IN 1995 ALL MEMBERS WILL BE ELECTED BY ONE MEANS
OR ANOTHER, AT LEAST A THIRD BY DIRECT ELECTION. ALREADY A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL ARE ELECTED MEMBERS. THIS IS A FIRM BASIS FROM WHICH TO MOVE FORWARD IN A GRADUAL AND SUSTAINABLE WAY TO A SECURE FUTURE.
BRITAIN'S COMMITMENT TO THE JOINT DECLARATION HAS NEVER BEEN IN DOUBT. IT WAS REAFFIRMED BY THE NEW GOVERNOR IN HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS LAST MONTH. MR PATTEN PLEDGED HIMSELF TO TURN 'FROM EARNEST HOPE TO FIRM REALITY' THE DECLARATION'S BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS', AND TO FULFIL THE PROMISE IT CONTAINS OF A SECURE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR HONG KONG, BASED ON HONG KONG'S EXISTING LIFESTYLE. HE WENT ON TO SET OUT THE HALLMARKS OF THE PRESENT HONG KONG SYSTEM, WHICH IS TO BE PRESERVED, AS: THE RULE OF LAW THAT GUARANTEES FAIR TREATMENT FOR EVERYONE SEMI-COLON AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY SEMI-COLON FREEDOM TO GO ABOUT YOUR
BUSINESS WITHOUT CONSTANT INTERFERENCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT SEMI-COLON FREEDOM OF WORSHIP AND OF SPEECH SEMI-COLON AN EFFICIENT PUBLIC SERVICE SEMI-COLON AND PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AT EVERY LEVEL.
YOUR EDITORIAL REFERRED ALSO TO THE EAST ASIAN ECONOMIC CAUCUS (EAEC). BRITISH CONCERNS ABOUT THE EAEC RELATED TO THE QUESTION OF RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE AND GATT COMPATIBILITY. DR MAHATHIR WAS ABLE TO SATISFY THE SECRETARY OF STATE ON BOTH GROUNDS. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE WORLD SHOULD NOT SUB-DIVIDE INTO BLOCKS.
SIGNED: CHALKER OF WALLASEY UNQUOTE
CHALKER
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
48
NEWS D
SPD
HKD
DISTRIBUTION
48
PAGE
PS/BARONESS CHALKER
PS/MR GOODLAD
PS/PUS
2
UNCLASSIFIED
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