WILITA
AM SATISFIED THAT THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES ARE COMMITTED TO SEEKING TO ENSURE THAT THAT TRANSITION PROCESS IS SUCCESSFUL AND THAT THE POST-1997 PERIOD WILL PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WHATEVER DIFFERENCES I MIGHT HAVE WITH MRS THATCHER IN SOME AREAS OF HER POLICIES, I HAVE TO FREELY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SHE IS STEAD FAST IN HER PURPOSEFULNESS AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT HER COMMITMENT TO SEEK TO ENSURE THAT THIS TRANSITION PROCESS WAS SMOOTH AND SUCCESSFUL. THAT IS, JUST AS THE CHINESE HAVE STRESSED TO ME THAT THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IS UPPER MOST IN THEIR MIND AND THEIR MAJOR OBJECTIVE IS FOR HONG KONG U CONTINUE OPERATING POST-1997 AS IT HAD BEEN UP UNTIL THAT POINT. I AM EQUALLY PERSUADED THAT THE BRITISH AUTHORITIES HAVE THE SAME COMMITMENT. NOW I CANT TELL YOU ANY MORE THAN THAT. I THINK YOU HAVE PICKED UP FROM WHAT I SAID, THAT AUSTRALIA HAS A JUSTIFIABLE INTEREST IN WHAT TAKES PLACE IN THIS MATTER. CERTAINLY WE DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO BE INTRUSIVE AND WE CERTAINLY DONT SEEK IN ANY WAY TO INVOLVE OUTSELVES IN THE PROCESSES WHICH ARE UNDERWAY. MERELY TO INFORM OURSELVES. I MENTIONED TO YOU BEFORE A NUMBER OF TIMES, I AM TALKING TO THE AUSTRALIAN JOURNALISTS NOW, THAT I AM THOROUGHLY CONVINCED THAT OUR FUTURE IS IN THIS REGION AND WE HAVE GOT TO ADDRESS OURSELVES TO THE PROBLEMS IN THIS REGION MUCH MORE ATTENTIVELY AND IN DETAIL THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST AND ACCORDINGLY I THINK THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THAT CLAIM. SO HAVE YOU GOT ANY QUESTIONS?
QUESTION:
MR HAYDEN:
WHO DID YOU SPEAK TO HERE IN HONG KONG?
I SPOKE TO A FEW PEOPLE BUT I WILL TELL YOU A COUPLE OF THEM ONLY. I WILL TELL YOU TWO ONLY. MR TUNG, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, OVERSEAS HOLDING LIMITED: SIR PHILIP HADDON - CAVE, THE ACTING GOVERNOR AND SEVERAL OF HIS COLLEAGUES, WHOSE NAMES I CAN GIVE YOU CORRECTLY AFTER I CHECK WITH OUT HIGH COMMISSIONER. I WILL BE TALKING WITH MORE TOMORROW. TOMORROW, I AM TEMPTED TO SAY THE RESPECTABILITY OF MY CONTACTS MAY NOT BE ABOVE APPROACH, THEY ARE GOING TO BE LARGELY JOURNALISTS. I WANT TO GET A PICTURE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAIRLY BROAD CONTACT AND WHO ARE USED TO MAKING AN ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF A SITUATION.
QUESTION: DO YOU SEE ONE OF THE MAIN PROBLEMS FOR AUSTRALIA (IF THIS IS HANDLED BADLY) AS BEING THE MASSIVE REFUGEE OUTFLOW FROM HONG KONG?
MR HAYDEN: I AM ONLY PREPARED TO SAY WHAT I SAID THAT THE EVIDENCE IS THAT BOTH SIDES ARE KEEN TO SEE A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THE EVIDENCE AT THIS POINT IS THAT THAT WILL BE ACHIEVED. THE MODALITIES HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT AND NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE SOME HAGGLING ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF THOS MODALITIES. AT THIS POINT ANYWAY BOTH SIDES ARE KEEN TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL RESULT. I SEE NO REASON THEREFORE WHY THEY SHOULDNT BE SUCCESSFUL. CONSEQUENTLY, 1 DONT THINK IT APPROPRIATE TO REFLECT ON THE PROPOSITION YOU ARE PUTTING FORWARD. THAT WOULD JUST ADD TO UNCERTAINTY. I DONT THINK UNCERTAINTY IS JUSTIFIED CERTAINLY NOT ON THIS POINT.
QUESTION: (DO YOU HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING WHETHER THE ISSUE OF SOVEREIGNTY BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA HAS BECOME MORE FLEXIBLE OVER RECENT WEEKS?