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DERMOT BRYANT, RTHK:
ON A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SUBJECT, MAY WE
EXPECT ANY ANNOUNCEMENT SOON FROM EITHER THE UK GOVERNMENT OR
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, ABOUT THE LEVEL OF TUITION FEES CHARGED
TO OUR STUDENTS IN BRITISH UNIVERSITIES AND HIGHER INSTITUTES?
LORD BELSTEAD: I KNOW THAT THIS IS A MATTER IN THE FOREFRONT OF
THE MINDS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG: WE HAVE IT UNDER ACTIVE
CONSIDERATION IN THE UK.
DERMOT BRYANT:
DOES THAT MEAN WE'LL GET AN ANNOUNCEMENT SOON?
LORD BELSTEAD: I WOULD HOPE THAT IT COULD BE IN THE REASONABLY
FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
IAN WHITELY: AS THE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG, WHY COULDN'T YOU FIND TIME TO COME OVER FOR BEFORE? I MEAN, BEFORE
NOW.
...
LORD BELSTEAD: WELL, IT WASN'T A QUESTION OF FINDING TIME: I STARTED WORK AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE IN APRIL, WE WERE PRETTY HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE SOUTH ATLANTIC UNTIL THE END OF JUNE: WE WERE THEN BEGINNING TO COME TOWARDS THE RUN-UP TO THE PRIME
MINISTER'S VISIT WHICH OF COURSE TOOK PLACE IN SEPTEMBER, AND I FELT - AND OTHERS ALSO FELT, THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF I CAME AFTER THE PRIME MINISTER AND NOT BEFORE. I THINK IT WAS
APPROPRIATE.
JOHN MCLEAN, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST:
SIR, THE PRIME MINISTER WENT ON PUBLIC RECORD DURING HER VISIT HERE, AS SAYING THE BRITISH CASE WOULD BE ARGUED ON THE
BASIS OF THE THREE TREATIES OF THE 19TH CENTURE: CAN YOU
CATEGORICALLY STATE THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THAT APPROACH
ON THE PART OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT?
LORD BELSTEAD: WELL, I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO SAY ABOUT THAT
PARTICULAR QUESTION, OTHER THAN WHAT HAS BEEN SAID BEFORE,
THIS GROUND WAS GONE OVER IN SOME DETAIL, BUT I WOULD JUST LIKE
TO EMPHASISE IN THIS CONNECTION, WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE
NEGOTIATIONS IS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
K.Y. CHUNG, MING PAO:
DO YOU MIND TELLING ME, DO YOU THINK THE PERSONS IN HONG KONG, THE FREEDOM THEY ENJOY THE PEACE AND THE
PRESENT LIFESTYLE AT THE MOMENT, IS THE MAIN FACTOR TO MAINTAIN
THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG?
LORD BELSTEAD: I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T QUITE GET IT. WOULD YOU MIND
REPEATING IT?
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KY CHUNG