1992-07-27 22:49 G.I.S
*ཏུ
.....
ZCZC
2ND ADD GIS 27
P.08/10
MONDAY, JULY 27, 1992
LAM KIT-YEE (HK ECONOMIC TIMES):
MR HURD, YOU SAID THAT BOTH THE THROUGH-TRAIN AND INCREASING DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS ARE DESIRABLE TO HAVE BUT THE CHINESE SIDE SAY THAT THE BASIC LAW HAS ALREADY FIXED THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS AFTER 1997, 80 IN WHAT WAY CAN BE DESIRABLE AT THE SAME TIME?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
HM
ROTH
WELL THEY CAN BOTH BE DESIRABLE.
HAVEN'T YET DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE. I'VE SAID OFTEN THAT WE WILL DO SO, AND WE WILL DO SO WHEN THE GOVERNOR HAS COMPLETED HIS REVIEW AND WE HAVE CONSIDERED WHAT HE BELIEVES ARE THE RIGHT ANSWERS FOR HONG KONG. THEN WE WILL GO TO THE CHINESE AND DISCUSS THOSE MATTERS, THOSE ASPECTS IN WHICH THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE INTEREST, WHICH OF COURSE GO BEYOND SIMPLY THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS. WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH THE QUESTIONS IN WHICH THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE INTEREST AND DISCUSS THOSE WITH THEM, SO I THINK 1T 15 PREMATURE ASSUME ANYTHING BEYOND THAT.
•
ΤΟ
THE GOVERNOR:
ONE AT A TIME, OTHERWISE
LAM KIT-YEE (HK ECONOMIC TIMES):
TO INCREASE THE NUMBER DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS, THEN WHAT WOULD THE BRITISH SIDE DO?
OF
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
WELL,
WE WILL HAVE TO TAKE STOCK OF THAT SITUATION BUT THAT WILL COME AFTER WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH THEM AND NOT NOW.
HANS VRIENS (RADIO NETHERLANDS):
MR HURD OR MR PATTEN, WILL THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE AIRPORT CONTINUE TILL AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA 15 REACHED IN, LET'S SAY SIX MONTHS TIME?
THE GOVERNOR : THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROJECTS, AS YOU KNOW, WHICH ARE BROADLY SPEAKING ENCOMPASSED IN THE TERM 'THE AIRPORT PROJECT' WHICH ARE GOING AHEAD AND THOSE WILL GO AHEAD AS THEY ARE AT PRESENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUILDING OF THE LARGEST BRIDGE,
PHILIP BOWRING (FREELANCE):
MR HURD, YOU'VE JUST BEEN IN MANILA
FOR THE ASEAN MEETING OF WHICH THE SPRATLEYS WERE THE ΜΑΙΝ SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION. COULD YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE ATTITUDE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, AND INDEED OF THE EEC, BROADLY, TO CHINA'S CLAIM OF NAVIGATION RIGHTS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH CHINA SEA FOR NUCLEAR VESSELS
AND SUBMARINES?
FOREIGN SECRETARY: 1 WASN'T ACTUALLY AT THE ASEAN DISCUSSION ON THE SPRATLEYS BECAUSE IT WAS AN ASEAN DISCUSSION AND NOT ONE WHICH,
WHAT THEY CALL THE DIALOGUE PARTNERS TOOK PART IN, SO I WOULD RATHER NOT COMMENT ON THAT, OR SPECIFICALLY ON THE MATTER WHICH YOU MENTIONED.