UNCLASSIFIED
037334
MDLIAN 8507
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DRASTICALLY CHANGED THE PRESENT CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF HK. THE REPORT REITERATED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT BARTER ON PRINCIPLES. THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO CHANGE ITS COURSE AND GO BACK TO THE BASIS OF THE JD.
MEETING BETWEEN THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER AND THE US PRESIDENT 17. SOME PAPERS NOTED (26.2) THE US PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAD EXPRESSED SUPPORT FRO GREATER DEMOCRACY IN HK AND SAID HE WAS AWARE HOW IMPORTANT CHINA'S MFN STATUS WAS TO HK. THE SCMP NOTED THE PRIME MINISTER MET MR CLINTON AT THE WHITE HOUSE IN AN AFTERNOON SESSION LASTING MORE THAN AN HOUR BUT HK AND CHINA ISSUES WERE NOT DISCUSSED THEN. THE TWO ISSUES CAME UP DURING DINNER.
SURVEYS
18. RECENT SURVEYS INDICATED (26.2) THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN HAD THE BACKING OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE, ENGINEERING AND HEALTH CARE CONSTITUENCIES. IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE SECTOR, 75 PERCENT OF THE 440 RESPONDENTS (REPRESENTING AN 18 PERCENT RESPONSE RATE) SUPPORTED THE PLAN. THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY THE SECTOR'S REPRESENTATIVE IN THE LEGISLATURE, MR HUI YIN FAT, BETWEEN 7 DECEMBER 1992 AND 31 JANUARY AND WAS EXTENDED TO NON-VOTERS IN THE CONSTITUENCY IN ADDITION TO ELIGIBLE CORPORATE VOTERS. THE ABOUT 60 PERCENT SUPPORTED THE PROPOSALS FOR THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENTS. IN A SEPARATE SURVEY CARRIED OUT BY THE HK INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS WITH A RESPONSE RATE OF 7 PERCENT FOUND MORE THAN HALF OF THE 783 RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE. THE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE MR MICHAEL HO FOUND THE RATIO FOR AND AGAINST THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE WAS THREE TO ONE.
19. ACCORDING TO A TELEPHONE SURVEY (3.3) CONDUCTED BY THE ADPL BETWEEN 17 JANUARY AND 1 MARCH COVERING 8,856 PEOPLE, NEARLY 70 PERCENT AGREED CHINA AND BRITAIN SHOULD RESUME TALKS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NEARLY 60 PERCENT AGREED THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TOGETHER WITH OTHER PROPOSALS TO THE JLG FOR DISCUSSION. OVER 50 PERCENT AGREED CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AFTER 1997 AND THEREFORE THE 1995 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BL.
AIRPORT
20. SEVERAL PAPERS (5.3) CARRIED A COMMENTARY ISSUED BY THE HK CNA WHICH CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT FOR ADOPTING A PIECEMEAL APPROACH TO SEEK FUNDS FROM LEGCO TO CARRY OUT AIRPORT CORE
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UNCLASSIFIED
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