Malmstrom (ELDR).

Madam Speaker! Madam Commissioner. The ELDR group is very concerned about the planned change of Article 23 in the Basic Law of Hong Kong. When speaking with journalists, politicians, various religious groups, representatives from human rights organizations and groups such as Falun Gong, they all express a very deep concern when confronted with this planned change. The strength of Hong Kong lies in the fact that the 'one country, two systems' principle has been able to be maintained. I fear, and many with me, that this change will undermine that principle severely. This would, of course, be completely unacceptable. The fact that Mainland China is exerting pressure to make this change happen is not comforting. We know that China often exerts pressure upon Hong Kong in order to make it adopt the legislation which exists in China. I fear that the interpretation of Article 23 may lead to the disappearance of basic freedoms such as academic freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of belief, etc. If a group such as Falun Gong, which is forbidden in China, were also to be forbidden in Hong Kong, it would be a serious violation of the principle: one country, two systems.

It is not only I who am concerned. The big demonstration where thousands of Hong Kong residents protested against the change last weekend shows that the authorities in Hong Kong have not succeeded in comforting their own citizens, and accordingly that does not comfort us either. If it is only about a technical change, as is claimed by Hong Kong, one must be very clear on this point. I fear that this is not the case. I hope that the commission will monitor this matter very closely. I also wish to appeal to the authorities in Hong Kong to extend the time allocated for consultation and to be very much on the alert concerning these changes.