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features about these negotiations.
The fact that we are negotiating now in 1984 for 1997 is itself most unsual because we shall at the same time be seeking to carry forward an increasingly representative style of government in HK. But I
think that needs must. It is right to be working for an
agreement sooner rather than later.
૨. Do you feel you have as much information as you would like
on what ordinary HK citizens want?
A. I don't know whether any politician ever feels he has as
much information as he wants about anything but subject to that I am very impressed by the way in which EXCO and LEGCO have sought to keep us informed. I was very impressed by the very well informed and practical nature of the points that were made to me when I met people there. And also very impressed by the HK press and media. There are a very large number of Chinese language papers there which of course are summarised for us on a regular basis but I think we have got a pretty
good insight into it.
Q.
A.
Why no
Referendum?
I think partly that the system is not so designed to have
it and partly because people there would not regard it as a very natural way of proceeding, partly I think because it would not be easy to commend a referendum to the Chinese assessment
of the position. They have not been used to working on a universal suffrage basis anyway and I think that consultations conducted in that way would not be regarded as effective in the
HK circuit. And as I said, it was not something that has been
strongly pressed on us.
John Goulden: When the Secretary of State first mentioned
drawbacks at the press conference there was hardly my take-up
of that. Nobody seemed at all surprised. It had been assumed
I think that a referendum was not high among the options.
Q. Any handover period?
as
A. It is early to be asking about that but, I have an example
of it that if one is to secure continuity of membership of
things like GATT and MFN and so on, then clearly there will
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