6.
be confidential, but of course as soon as we have anything to say we'll keep in touch and give the news. Again, one is accustomed to doing this so don't think there is nothing from the start of the talks until the conclusion, it wouldn't be possible in democratic society to do that.
ALFRED HO MAN-CHEUNG, Oriental Daily News: When a dootor tells a patient for the sake of his health that he had better not know what his illness is, if the patient has a very bad illness, right? Do you insist on keeping confidentiality, this would mean very bad news , or what do you think about that?
P.M.
I think you're wrong, and I'm right!
MARY LEE, Far East Economic Review: Prime Minister, you have said quite correctly, that the people of Hong Kong want stability and prosperity to be maintained and that your responsibilit is to the people of Hong Kong. While the people of Hong Kong do not want to come under Chinese jurisdiction in 1997, can the British Government give the people of Rong Kong an undertaking that this Territory will not come under Chinese jurisdiction after 1997?
P.M.
Look, we are trying to we're going to enter into talks to reconcile the differences between us. That
we will do. My responsibility is to the people of Hong Kong; we also stand by the Treaties. We are entering into talks which we hope will vary the Treaties because 'as you know, there are three Treati One of them signifies the end of the Lease in 1997, so there is a good deal to be discussed and I think it's as well that we don't go further into it now before we've even started the talks.
STEPHEN CLARKE, South China Morning Post: Mrs. Thatcher, do you foresee the need to secure an acceptance across political parties in the UK of the stand you've taken so far in diacuasing Hong Kong's future, so as to ensure continuity of the negotiating position with China over our future?
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