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the Government and Exco to sell the JLG agreement on the CFA recently could be a gesture of sincerity on the part of Britain.
The issue attracted more than half a dozen commentaries in the left- wing press. Addressing the issue from different angles, the commentators were concerned about the rekindled interest in the CFA at this time. Cheung Chi-lam said in Ta Kung Pao (11.6) that whether the British side would implement the JLG agreement was a litmus test on its determination to honour its pledges. Yuk Yin (13.6) and Yip Kwok-chun (14.6) in Wen Wei Po criticised suggestions from some quarters that the Government could flexibly handle the number of overseas judges. This showed that the British side was insincere about implementing the agreement 'reached by the two sovereign states. Contending that the CFA question had remained unresolved because the Government had encouraged Legco to reject the agreement, Yip Kwok-chun said the British should have learnt a lesson and should not
resort to the same trick in the current Sino-British talks.
Several commentaries linked the CFA issue to Chinese sovereignty. Chiu Chung-muk said in Wen Wei Po (15.6) that the British side's ultimate goal in calling for the continuation of HK's legal system beyond 1997 was to turn HK into an independent political entity under its control. Another Wen Wei Po commentary, by Tai Kiu (16.6), noted that Legco had rejected the JLG agreement on the CFA. He suspected that there was a link between the bringing up of the issue at this time and some people's remark that Legco could reject the Sino-British diplomatic agreement reached. John Lok said in the HK Commercial Daily (23.6) that the British Government, which was responsible for HK's administration, should have the power to implement the Sino-British agreement. According to constitution, the composition of the CFA should not be a matter for Legco's discussion.
Tung Fong-tit in Wen Wei Po (27.6) drew a parallel between the Australian shark hunter hired by The Standard, who failed to capture any sharks in HK, and the employment of overseas judges for the CFA. The commentator said that it was blind trust of Western expertise that prompted people to say that HK did not have enough eligible judges and that having only one overseas judge would lower the standard and authority of the CFA.
Media Research Sub-Division
Information Services Department July 1, 1993
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