GOVERNOR Chris Patten yesterday warned China that arrangements for the 1994/95 elections had to be concluded ''within weeks'', and at the same time he challenged Hong Kong people to stand up for democracy.
In a passionate appeal for Hong Kong's support, Mr Patten said in his second policy speech delivered to the Legislative Council yesterday: ''We cannot be bolder than you because liberty stands in the heart. When it shrivels there, nothing can save it.'' Mr Patten lamented the failure to secure a deal with China on constitutional reforms but stressed that it should still be possible to reach an accord.
''We now have only weeks rather than months to conclude these talks,'' Mr Patten said in a challenge to Beijing, insisting that the changes he proposed were only ''modest'' and that it was time for China to make some concessions.
Mr Patten - at times visibly angry - likened Hong Kong to a captive creature, ''a bird on a string'', that Beijing could tug back whenever it wanted.
Beijing last night offered no official response to Mr Patten's speech, but a mainland official said: ''That's an ultimatum. Chinese will certainly not like it. He is clearly trying to put more pressure on China.'' Chinese officials also said Mr Patten was just ''singing the same old tune'', saying his proposals are open, fair and acceptable to the people of Hong Kong and do not breach the Basic Law.
At a press conference after his speech, Mr Patten denied his remarks amounted to an ultimatum, saying: ''I've been scrupulously careful over the weeks and months to avoid setting deadlines . . . I've avoided ultima'ta' or 'tums' scrupulously.'' Although last week's meeting between British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd and Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen produced no accord, Mr Patten said he still had ''boundless optimism'' that a few more rounds of negotiations could bring about a breakthrough.