UNCLASSIFIED
FM PEKING
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1391
OF 090548Z OCTOBER 92
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
UNCLASSIFIED
TOP COPY
China (99
122066
MDHIAN 2601
Q DIST?
Мав
MAB 07/6
5
GOVERNOR'S LEGCO ADDRESS: COMMENTS BY THE HKMO STATE COUNCIL SPOKESMAN
1. PEOPLE'S DAILY OF 9 OCTOBER CARRIED COMMENTS BY THE HKMO STATE COUNCIL SPOKESMAN ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S LEGCO ADDRESS (CHINESE TEXT ALREADY FAXED TO ALL ADDRESSEES). THE MAIN POINTS ARE THAT THE CHINESE SIDE ARE DEEPLY WORRIED BY THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMME. THEY HAVE ALL ALONG MAINTAINED THAT HONG KONG'S CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM SHOULD NOT UNDERGO GREAT CHANGE: IF THERE ARE ANY DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SYSTEM DURING THE TRANSITION PERIOD WHICH DO NOT CONVERGE WITH THE BL, THEN NO RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THIS WILL FALL ON THE CHINESE SIDE.
2.
OUR TRANSLATION OF THE ARTICLE IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
ON 8 OCTOBER THE HKMO STATE COUNCIL SPOKESMAN MADE THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS SECTION OF THE GOVERNOR'S LEGCO ADDRESS. THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE NOTED THE LARGE CHANGES PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE EXISTING POLITICAL SYSTEM IN HONG KONG, AND HIS PLAN FOR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 LEGCO ELECTIONS. THESE DECISIONS AND ''PROPOSALS'' (COMMENT: THEIR QUOTATION MARKS) HAVE ALL BEEN MADE WITHOUT CONSULTING THE CHINESE SIDE. THIS WAY OF PROCEEDING IS CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS IN THE JD THAT THE TWO SIDES SHOULD STRENGTHEN THEIR COOPERATION AND MUTUAL CONSULTATION ON THOSE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. THE RESULT OF THIS WAY OF PROCEEDING CAN ONLY BE TO PUT OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF SMOOTH TRANSITION AND A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT. WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED BY THIS.
WE HAVE ALL ALONG MAINTAINED THAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD DEVELOP IN HONG KONG. THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY SHOULD PROCEED SYSTEMATICALLY. THERE SHOULD NOT BE GREAT CHANGES TO HONG KONG'S CURRENT POLITICAL SYSTEM AND THERE SHOULD BE CONVERGENCE WITH THE BASIC LAW. THIS IS A BASIC PREREQUISITE FOR HONG KONG'S SMOOTH TRANSITION. OTHERWISE
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