1993-03-12 20:25 G.I.S
ZCZC
5TH ADD GIS 14
P.23
P.S
FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1993
MR GILBERT LEUNG (THROUGH INTERPRETER): MR GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE DECIDED TODAY TO GAZETTE YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. THAT UNDOUBTEDLY WILL INCREASE THE CONFLICT BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN AND WILL HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON HONG KONG SOCIETY. HAS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ASSESSED THE IMPACT THIS ACTION WILL HAVE ON OUR SOCIETY AND WHAT CONTINGENT MEASURES ARE THERE TO REDUCE THE IMPACT ON OUR PEOPLE IF CHINA, BECAUSE OF THIS MOVE, WILL 'BUILD THEIR OWN STOVE' ARE CONTINGENCY PLANS THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS?
THERE
ASSUME
MEMBER
GOVERNOR: I'M NOT SURE THAT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS RIGHT TO THE WORST OF CHINA AND CHINESE OFFICIALS. IS THE HONOURABLE SERIOUSLY SAYING THAT CHINA WILL ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE FOR THE ORDINARY PEOPLE OF HONG KONG? I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A VERY SENSIBLE THING TO DO AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT CHINA WILL REGARD THAT AS BEING A SENSIBLE BASIS FOR THE RESUMPTION OF CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997. I HOPE THAT CHINA WILL STILL JOIN US IN TALKING ABOUT THE 1994/95 ARRANGEMENTS, I REPEAT HAVE SET NO PRE-CONDITIONS FOR THOSE TALKS. IF THERE AREN'T TO BE TALKS THEN I HOPE THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS WILL HAVE THE SAME CONFIDENCE IN THE GOOD SENSE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT I DO.
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WE
CAN I JUST, ON A POINT OF ELUCIDATION, IN RESPONSE TO ANOTHER QUESTION
A QUESTION FROM THE HONOURABLE LADY WHO ASKED ME ABOUT MEMBERS OF BRITISH TEAMS IN FORMAL DIPLOMATIC TALKS WITH THE CHINESE WHO DID NOT HAVE BRITISH PASSPORTS - I, OR OTHERS HAVE IDENTIFIED THREE SUCH OFFICIALS FOR ME AND I CAN GIVE THOSE NAMES TO THE HONOURABLE LADY ANY TIME SHE WOULD LIKE.
MR ERIC LI: MR PRESIDENT, MR GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE NOW GAZETTED A BILL AND NOT MADE A DECISION TO INTRODUCE IT TO THIS COUNCIL. THAT CLEARLY SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT YOU STILL HOPE THAT TALKS WILL RESUME AND THAT YOU MAY BE WILLING TO AMEND YOUR PROPOSALS BEFORE TAKING THEM TO THIS COUNCIL. DO YOU HAVE AN ABSOLUTE DEADLINE BEYOND WHICH YOU ARE NOT PREPARED TO WAIT FOR THE CHINESE BEFORE INTRODUCING THE FINAL BILL ΤΟ THE COUNCIL AND ONCE THE BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, DOES IT IMPLY THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER CONSIDER MAKING ANY AMENDMENT TO THE BILL BY THE GOVERNMENT IRRESPECTIVE OF THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS?