1992-12-04 18:58 COMMS OFFICE (GOVT HOUSE)
852 526 0995 P.12
GOVERNOR: I THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD BE SURPRISED IF PROPOSALS WHICH
IT GAVE BROAD APPROVAL TO ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO, WERE SUDDENLY WHIPPED
OFF THE TABLE. I THINK THE COUNCIL WOULD FIND THAT AN ASTONISHING
PIECE OF BEHAVIOUR BY THE GOVERNMENT. WHAT, ON THE OTHER HAND, I
THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD EXPECT THE GOVERNOR AND THE GOVERNMENT TO DO
IS TO LISTEN INTENTLY IN CASE THERE ARE ANY BETTER PROPOSALS
AVAILABLE. I HAVE TO SAY ONCE AGAIN THAT SO FAR I HAVEN'T BEEN
KNOCKED-OVER IN A A STAMPEDE OF PEOPLE COMING FORWARD WITH PROPOSALS
WHICH THEY THOUGHT WERE BETTER . TN MY EXPERTENCE. WHEN PEOPLE THINK
THEY HAVE PROPOSALS WHICH ARE BETTER THAN ONES THAT ONE HAS PUT
FORWARD ONESELF, WHEN PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE PROPOSALS WHICH THEY
THINK MAY BE MORE POPULAR THAN ONES THAT ONE HAS PUT FORWARD ONESELF,
THEY'RE NOT ON THE WHOLE, BY AND LARGE, UNWILLING TO SUGGEST WHAT
THOSE PROPOSALS MIGHT BE. AND THAT, I FANCY, IS THE POSITION WE'RE IN
AT THE MOMENT.
MISS CHRISTINE LOH:
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DELIVERED A FORMAL
ULTIMATUM TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE REFORM PROPOSALS,
ACCOMPANIED BY A SPECIFIC DECLARATION OF INTENDED RETRIBUTIVE ACTION?
P
GOVERNOR: NO, THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE HASN'T BEEN DONE IN PUBLIC,
HASN'T BEEN DONE IN PRIVATE. THE LATEST STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE WAS
THE ONE MADE YESTERDAY EVENING BY THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS
OFFICE. A STATEMENT WAS PUT OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY EVENING
ABOUT THAT. AS THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WILL DOUBTLESS KNOW, CONTRACTS
WHICH ARE VALIDLY LEGALLY ENTERED INTO BEFORE 1997 UNDER OUR COMMON
LAW, ACCORDING TO BOTH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW,
SURVIVE THE TRANSITION TO 1997, PROVIDED THAT THEY DON'T CONTRAVENE
THE BASIC LAW, AND IT'S RATHER DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE A CONTRACT THAT
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