́(?) (MALE VOICE)
THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
HAVE REPEATEDLY DECLARED THAT THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE KEPT UNRESTRICTED AND THE CONDITIONS THAT THE CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE STATED ON THIS SUBJECT, SO IN SO DOING DOES THAT AFFECT THE TALKS, AND ALSO DO YOU CONTEMPLATE THAT THE JOINT STATEMENT WHICH ISSUED AFTER MRS THATCHER'S VISIT
TO PEKING ?.
MR. ROBERTS: COULD YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF, PLEASE?
HONG KONG DAILY NEWS.
LORD BELSTEAD: I'M SORRY, I DON'T THING THAT ANYTHING HEARD SINCE THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT HAS IN ANY WAY CONTRADICTED THE JOING STATEMENT WHICH WAS MADE AT THE END OF HER VISIT TO PEKING
HONG KONG DAILY NEWS:
BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS: SINCE BOTH THE
GOVERNMENTS HAVE DECLARED THAT THE TALKS SHOULD BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL, AND RECENTLY THE CHINESE OFFICIALS HAVE SAID FREQUENTLY ON THIS SUBJECT, AND SO IF SUCH THINGS IN SO DOING WILL THAT AFFECT THE TALKS?
LORD BELSTEAD: I TAKE YOUR POINT. DON'T, I REPEAT, WHICH I SAID AT THE BEGINNING IN THE STATEMENT I MADE, I DO HOPE THE PEOPLE WON'T BE PREJUDICED BY WHAT THEY HEAR SAID OUTSIDE THE ACTUAL NEGOTIATIONS.
M.L. NG, RTHK:
SIR, IN GENERAL DO YOU FEEL THERE IS A NEED TO
OPEN UP MORE CHANNELS TO REFLECT PUBLIC OPINION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG
LORD BELSTEAD: NO, AS I SAY, I NOW REALISE AT THE END OF FIVE DAYS, THE NETWORK OF LINES OF COMMUNICATION HERE IN HONG KONG. I
HAVE ENDEAVOURED TO MAKE USE OF THAT NETWORK AS A REPRESENTATIVE
OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND OF COURSE, SIR PERCY CRADOCK
HAS BEEN HERE AT THE SAME TIME: I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE
HEARING LOUD AND CLEAR WHAT IT IS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WISH
TO SAY.
KATHLEEN WONG, RTHK:
WE HAVE HEARD REPORTS SUGGESTING THAT HONG
KONG WILL BECOME A 'SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE' TO BE ADMINISTERED BY ITS OWN PEOPLE: DO YOU REGARD THIS PROPOSAL
ACCEPTABLE TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG
KONG?
LORD BELSTEAD: WELL, FORGIVE ME SAYING SO, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION,
BECAUSE OF COURSE, IT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT AND
WONDERING ABOUT, BUT IT FALLS PRECISELY INTO THE SLOT OF ME ASKING
PEOPLE NOT TO BE PREJUDICED BY WHAT IS SAID OUTSIDE THE TALKS.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS COME FROM OUT OF THE TALKS.
KATHLEEN
!