DANNY GILLINGS (SUNDAY POST): COULD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION OR THE LACK OF IT IN THE FINAL STAGE OF THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS? WERE YOU CONSULTED ABOUT SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S VISIT? HAS THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SEEN THE TEXT OF THIS ACCORD YET?
THE GOVERNOR: I WOULD MAKE THE POINT AS A GENERAL ONE. I DON'T EVER GO INTO DETAILS OF WHAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DOES, BUT THE GENERAL POINT I MADE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING IS THAT WHOEVER HAVE BEEN THE ACTUAL PLAYERS AT ANY STAGE AT THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND EXCO, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HAVE BEEN VERY FULLY INVOLVED, VERY FULLY CONSULTED AND YES, INDEED, I DID KNOW BEFORE SIR PERCY CRADOCK WENT TO PEKING.
DANNY GILLINGS (SUNDAY POST): WERE YOU ADVISED ASSUMING THERE IS NO DIRECT HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN THE FINAL STAGES IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS?
THE GOVERNOR: I THINK YOU KNOW WHO WAS IN PEKING AND IN THE FINAL STAGES IT WAS SIR PERCY CRADDOCK AND THE NEW BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN PEKING, SIR ROBIN MCLAREN. THERE WAS NO INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM HONG KONG THERE BUT WE WERE VERY FULLY INVOLVED WITH WHAT WENT ON.
HUGO GURDON (DAILY TELEGRAPH): THE STICKING POINT SEEMED TO BE FOR A LONG TIME THE PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY RATHER THAN THE DETAILS. IF THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE AGREEMENT, WHY DID IT SEEM UNACCEPTABLE IN TERMS OF THIS POINT, THE PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY; WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO ACHIEVE?
THE GOVERNOR: IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHY IT TOOK SO LONG то ACHIEVE BUT IT DOES SOMETIMES TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET TO A PRACTICAL COMMON SENSE ANSWER.
HUGO GURDON (DAILY TELEGRAPH): DOES IT SATISFY THAT PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY?
THE GOVERNOR: I DON'T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH IT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SOVEREIGNTY ON EITHER SIDE. I MEAN IT SOMETIMES DOES. PEOPLE TOOK A LONG TIME TO INVENT THE WHEEL I THINK, BUT IT DOES SOMETIMES TAKE AN AWFUL LONG TIME TO GET TO THE RIGHT SORT OF CONCLUSION.
FANNY WONG (SCMP): TWO QUESTIONS PLEASE. FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO CLAUSES (C) AND (D) IN THE MEMORANDUM.
BASICALLY IT JUST SAYS THAT ALMOST ALL THE KEY ASPECTS OF THE PADS PROJECT, THE GRANTING OF CONTRACTS, AND THE FRANCHISES AND THE GOVERNMENT BORROWINGS; YOU HAVE TO CONSULT THE CHINESE BEFORE IT CAN GO AHEAD UNDER THE AIRPORT, SO-CALLED AIRPORT COMMITTEE UNDER THE JLG AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE OPERATION OF JLG IS THAT THE CHINESE SIDE AND APPROVAL IS NEEDED BEFORE ANY ISSUE IS ACCEPTED. SO NO WONDER CHINA WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY ON THIS PROJECT. IS IT TRUE TO SAY THAT, IN THAT CASE, THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AS PROMISED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION IS NOTHING BUT AN EMPTY PROMISE? ALSO A SECOND QUESTION THAT TIME AND AGAIN YOU AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE STRESSED THE NEED OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE LINE OF AUTHORITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. IN THIS MEMORANDUM THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO THIS MAINTENANCE OF THE LINE OF AUTHORITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
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