DEC '92 12:26
JAMES LEE ·
0494536249 P.2 P.07
TRANSCRIPT B
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FOREIGN SECRETARY
SPEECH AND Q&A FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION - LONDON - 30 NOVEMBER 1992
by the Prime Minister last year. We are holding absolutely to en
that and we are not asking the Chinese for their part toʻramend
1
י
だいぶ
their Basic Law because we were told by them clearly that that was
a difficult thing for them to do.
We would have liked to increase the total number of
directly-elected seats to the Legislative Council we still think
that is the best answer and we hope that the Chinese can be
persuaded of that but the Governom has now put forward alternative
ways of bringing some greater democracy to Hong Kong.
have received wide support and we are perfectly ready to discuss
alternatives with the Chinese should they come forward.
Those ways
So our position is very clear, very principled and we intend to
hold to it but in doing so I repeat that we believe in keeping to
the word and letter of all the agreements in this matter which we
have concluded over the years with the People's Republic and we
believe passionately in the principle of two systems in one
country not our phrase, a Chinese phrase but it has to
underlie the arrangements for a successful Hong Kong after the
transfer of sovereignty in 1997.
QUESTION (GERMAN TV):
Secretary, you described "openness" as one of the main issues for
the European Community in the future.
Could you describe to us
: