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ANSWER. THE ANSWER IS THAT THE DATE OF ARRIVAL IN FOUR YEARS'
TIME IS ONE OF THE MATTERS THAT HAS EMERGED FROM THE NEGOTIATIONS.
THAT IS THE DATE OF THE LOCATION OF ITS PRINCIPAL BASE IN HONG KONG.
AND, YES INDEED, WE HAVE DISCUSSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSITION: ·
IT IS FOR THAT PURPOSE, AMONGST OTHERS THAT THE GROUP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED WITH THE THREE FUNCTIONS I HAVE DESCRIBED: LIAISON, CONSULTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT, AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION.'*
QUESTION 28. NG SIU-CHUN, COMMERCIAL DAILY:
**YOU SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG BROUGHT SINO-BRITISH
RELATIONSHIPS TO A HIGHER LEVEL. WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT ON THIS?' ↑
ANSWER. **I DON'T THINK I DID SAY THAT, BUT I AM PREPARED TO COMMENT
ON THE POINT THAT YOU ATTRIBUTE TO ME. THE POINT, I THINK, THAT IS TO BE TAKEN ACCOUNT OF IS THAT THESE NEGOTATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE BETWEEN TWO SOVEREIGN STATES - BRITAIN AND CHINA AND PLAINLY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHOULD BE CONDUCTED ON THE BASIS OF MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN THOSE TWO STATES. PLAINLY IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AN IMPROVEMENT OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS, WHICH MUST BE A GOOD THING, NOT JUST FOR CHINA AND BRITAIN, BUT FOR HONG KONG. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS, THEREFORE, WHY WE ARE SEEKING TO SECURE, A FULL AND BINDING AND SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT. BUT THE OVER-RIDING PURPOSE OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS IS TO TAKE ACCOUNT AND SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG
KONG.''
QUESTION 29. PATRICIA PENN, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION: **WOULD SIR GEOFFREY SEE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE IN CONTINUATION OF THE LIAISON GROUP AFTER 2000. WOULD YOU SEE ANY USEFUL PURPOSE IN ITS CONTINUATION AFTER 2000?
ANSWER. ''I THINK THAT IF YOU GO BACK TO THE HISTORY OF THE NEGOTIATIONS YOU MAY REMEMBER ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN AFTER 1997, ON WHICH I EXPRESSED OUR CONCLUSIONS IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE I GAVE ON APRIL 20TH, AND IT IS AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND WE HAVE REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT THE CONTINUATION OF THE LIAISON GROUP BEYOND 1997 TO THE YEAR 2000 CERTAINLY DOES HAVE A USEFUL PART TO PLAY AND WE HAVE AGREED IT.
J
I THINK THAT BEYOND THAT IS TO SPECULATE BEYOND THAT WHICH I HAVE
DESCRIBED, BEYOND THAT WHICH I AM OFFERING.'
QUESTION 30. LAU CHI-MAN, COMMERCIAL RADIO:
**FROM NOW UNTIL REACHING AN AGREEMENT HOW MANY ROUNDS OF TALKS WILL THERE BE?**
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ANSWER. ''I CAN'T SAY PRECISELY BUT THE NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE GOING ON IN THE SAME BROAD WAY WITH WORK CONTINUING IN THE NORMAL ROUNDS OF DISCUSSION AS WELL AS IN CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS OF THE WORKING GROUP THAT'S BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE THE NORMAL ROUNDS. I CAN'T SAY PRECISELY HOW MANY THERE WILL BE.**
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