Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-12-19-Speech-4-131"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2002-12-19"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Hong Kong2
dcterms:Language	"sv"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20021219.7.4-131"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2002-12-19-Speech-4-1322
lpv:speaker	lp:Cecilia Malmström2
lpv:spokenAs	unknown; Folkpartiet liberalerna (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Latvia Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-07--2004-04-30)3 substitute; AFCO (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 member; Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America and Mexico (2002-02-07--2004-07-19)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (2002-01-17--2004-07-19)3 vice-chair; Delegation to the EU-Hungary Joint Parliamentary Committee (2002-02-06--2004-04-30)3 member_of_the_bureau; ELDR (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Madam President, Commissioner, the Group of the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party is extremely concerned about the planned change to Article 23 of Hong Kong’s constitution. In conversation, journalists, politicians, various religious groups, representatives of human rights organisations and organisations such as Falun Gong all express great anxiety faced with this planned change. The strength of Hong Kong lies in its success in retaining the principle of one country, two systems. I, together with many others, fear that this change will seriously undermine that principle, something which would naturally be completely unacceptable. The fact that China is pressing for this change to take place is not reassuring. We know that China often puts pressure on Hong Kong to get it to accept legislation there that exists in China. I am afraid that the way in which Article 23 is being interpreted may lead to the disappearance of fundamental freedoms such as academic freedom, freedom of expression, freedom of organisation and religious freedom. If a group such as Falun Gong, which is banned in China, were also to be banned in Hong Kong, it would be a serious offence against the principle of one country, two systems. It is not only I who am concerned. The major demonstration at the weekend, in which thousands of Hong Kong citizens protested about the change, shows that the Hong Kong authorities have not succeeded in reassuring their own citizens, and they are not therefore reassuring ourselves, either. If the change is only a technical one, as Hong Kong maintains, the point needs to be made extremely clearly. I am afraid that that is not the way it is. I hope that the Commission will look into this issue very carefully. I also wish to appeal to the Hong Kong authorities to extend the period of referral for consideration and to be extremely vigilant where these changes are concerned."@en1

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