TNAG-2776-FCO40-3993-Hong-Kong-questions-for-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-on-c-1993 — Page 7

RESTRICTED

4567

MDADA 9647

course, fully aware of the anxieties of the community in these last few years. We believe strongly that the best means of ensuring that Hong Kong can have confidence in its future is to put in place the institutions that are necessary to safeguard Hong Kong's system and way of life. They are :

a vigorous and accountable executive;

a credible and broadly-based legislature; and

an independent and impartial judiciary.

Our plans for these are, of course, fully described in the Governor's Addresses to this Council in October 1992 and 1993. The Bill that I will be introducing into this Council later today is the first part of our proposed legislative measures aimed at achieving representative institutions which are credible and broadly-based, and I hope would receive the support of Honourable

Members.

(4).

Mr President, history, geography and international agreements all point to a future for Hong Kong under the historic principle of "one country, two systems". The community should work to build that future, rather than shy away from it. As the Governor said to this Council on 2 December 1993, the transfer of sovereignty was always going to be a difficult enterprise. There were bound to be disagreements between Britain and China along the

But we firmly believe that with goodwill and co-operation from both sides even though we might have differences, and of course with the support of the community, we can together overcome those difficulties."

3.

Grateful for comments deskby 11083OZ.

PATTEN

YYYY

ADVANCE

DISTRIBUTION

.HK POLICY

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

PAGE

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

NNNN

قر

HKD //HD

FED//HD

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BROOKS

2

RESTRICTED

PS/PM

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO)