GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.
FRI 12 MAR 93 07:03
PG.19
RESTRICTED
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Q26
A26
Why are you not leading the delegation?
Talks would be likely to absorb a great deal of time
for the negotiating team and in my role as Governor
I have many responsibilities to carry out here in
Hong Kong. But I would be closely in touch with the progress of any talks which I have no doubt would be
carried out with firmness and skill by the Ambassador and our colleagues from Hong Kong and
London.
Q27 Doesn't the fact that the Ambassador would be
leading the delegation mean that China has succeeded
in by-passing Hong Kong?
A27
No.
Hong Kong Government officials will be members of our team. If talks take place, they
would be in close touch with me and have
immediate access to me at all times.
As is widely known, the British Government fully
supports the approach that I have adopted and
the proposals which I have put forward. They
have said so in public many times. That
position has not changed, so the British and
Hong Kong components of the team would be
working from exactly the same brief,
No question of a deal being reached without our
endorsement,
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