A: WELL, IN THINK HERE THE ANSWER IS LET ME REAFFIRM THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMUTMENT TO A SOLUTION WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS WELL AS TO BRIT:+SH PARLAMENT AND TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA. NOW HT FOLLOWS FROM THAT, DOES IT NOT, THAT SOMETHING THAT NS ACCEPTABLE MUST MEAN NOT ONLY THE RETENTION BUT THE CONTINUING CONSTRUCTION OF A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS SOCIETY. AND ĦT FLOW FROM THAT THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN FACTORS THAT GO TO MAKE UP THAT STABLE AND PROSPEROUS SOCIETY AND THAT MUST BE AT THE HEART OF THE DISCUSSHON THAT WE ARE HAVING AND THAT REMAINS VERY MUCH
THE OVER-RIDING OBJECTIVE OF OUR GOVERNMENT. AND LET ME JUST POSE THIS LF YOU LIKE AS A QUESTION, THE IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON INTEREST: UN WHOSE INTERESTS CAN IT CONCEIVABLY BE FOR HONG KONG
NOT TO BE PROSPEROUS AND STABLE?
MR ROBERTS: WE'VE GOT TIME FOR JUST TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
Q: MT HIS REPORTED THAT THE CHINESE
AUTHOR:#TY HAS SET A DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS. * WONDER IF THERE IS
ANY TRUTH AN THIS REPORT.
A:
THE DEADLINE WAS THE WORD YOU WERE USING? YES, WELL & THINK
THAT WHAT SH WOULD SAY TO YOU IS THKS:
HIT HAS BEEN REPORTED IN PUBLIC, IN HAVE NOTHCED THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WANT A DEADLINE ON TALKS, WE TAKE THE VIEW VERY STRONGLY THAT DEADLINES AREN'T HELPFUL THAT YOU'VE GOT TO WORK AS HARD AND AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THAT BY FEELING UNDER THE PRESSURE OF A DEADLINE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HELP AND COULD BE COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE. AND THINK THE BEST WAY CAN ANSWER THAT S TO GAVE YOU THE VIEW OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, THAT'S WHAT 4M ACCOUNTABLE FOR AND THAT S OUR VIEW.
Q: MINISTER CAN YOU SEE ANY POSSIBLE SHORT TERM SOLUTION SO AS TO REMOVE THE ANXIETY IN THE COMMUNITY HERE GENERALLY ABOUT THE CONCERN OVER THEIR OWN FUTURE? COULD YOU SEE ANY POSSIBLE
SHORT TERM SOLUTION TO OVERCOME THE PROBLEM?
A: {N THIS WORLD THERE ARE NOT OFTEN SUDDEN MAGIC WANDS THAT ANY OF US CAN WAVE, AND MN A WAY THINK WE DO - H'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU'RE SAYING THAT - BUT I THINK WE DO OURSELVES AND THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG OF THIS TERRITORY, A DISSERVICE IF WE SUGGEST THERE IS A MAGIC WAND OR AN EASY WAY OUT OF THIS PROBLEM. BUT WHAT WOULD REITERATES THAT ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO EASY PANACEA, NOR NO SHORT TERM PANACEA, IF PEOPLE
I WILL.