TNAG-2709-FCO40-3915-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 136

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 16100OZ FCO

TELNO 597

OF 16090OZ FEBRUARY 90

INFO DESKBY 16090OZ PEKING

INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG

HK 14.2

151431

MDHIAN 7288

MIPT: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: OMELCO

PRESS STATEMENT, 16 FEBRUARY

WE HAVE NOTED THE LATEST PROPOSALS BY THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE ON THE POLITICAL MODEL FOR THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT. THIS PROPOSAL FALLS SHORT OF THE PACE RECOMMENDED BY OMELCO. IT ALSO CONTAINS ELEMENTS SUCH AS SEPARATE VOTING FOR CERTAIN BILLS AND RESTRICTIONS ON NATIONALITY WHICH ARE REGRETTABLE. IT IS, HOWEVER, AN IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST PROPOSAL FROM THE SUB GROUP MEETING IN GUANZHOU.

THE FINAL DECISION WILL BE MADE BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT. ON OUR PART, OMELCO HAVE CONSCIENTIOUSLY AND CONSISTENTLY REFLECTED THE VIEWS AND WISHES OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. WE HAVE DONE THIS ALL THE WAY TO THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. WE HAVE NOT WAVERED FROM OUR CONSENSUS.

ALL OF US NATURALLY WOULD HAVE WISHED TO SEE THE OMELCO CONSENSUS ADOPTED BUT THE IMPORTANT THING NOW IS THAT A MAJOR UNCERTAINTY HAS BEEN REMOVED. THERE IS NOW A CLEAR DIRECTION. THE COMMUNITY MUST WORK TOGETHER TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A MORE REPRESENTATIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT WILL BE GOOD FOR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND THUS HELP TO MAINTAIN STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. IN PARTICULAR, WE MUST ALL ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN MAKING THE 1991 DIRECT ELECTIONS A SUCCESS AND TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE CAN BE TRUSTED TO EXERCISE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES SENSIBLY. THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO PERSUADE THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS TO REVIEW THEIR CURRENT PROPOSAL FOR 1995 IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

WILSON

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