FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1982
REPORTER:
SIR EDWARD
REPORTER:
SIR EDWARD:
REPORTER
SIR EDWARD:
REPORTER:
SIR EDWARD
REPORTER
SIR EDWARD:
REPORTER
SIR EDWARDI
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WAS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT SHE WAS
INTERESTED TO KNOW ABOUT HONG KONG?
I WOULDN'T SINGLE OUT A PARTICULAR SUBJECT. I THINK AS YOU KNOW SHE'S BEEN HERE BEFORE SO SHE HAS QUITE A KNOWLEDGE OF HONG KONG ALREADY, AND A GREAT INTEREST IN IT, AND I THINK SHE WAS REALLY SEEKING FOR A VERY WIDE RANGING TALK ABOUT HONG KONG, ABOUT THE CLIMATE OF OPINION HERE, ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG SINCE SHE WAS HERE AND THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE ON THE FUTURE.
DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE ALREADY HAD A STAND ON THE QUESTION OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG?
I THINK THAT THE OBJECT OF OUR VISIT WAS, AND THE REASON WE WERE INVITED, WAS THAT WE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE PREPARATIONS WHICH WERE BEING MADE FOR THAT VISIT AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE MUCH CONCERNED TO HEAR THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE HERE BEFORE THEY DO COME TO CONCLUSIONS.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WILL COME OUT OF MRS THATCHER'S TRIP TO PEKING?
I THINK I'VE SAID IT SO OFTEN BUT PERHAPS IT WOULD BEAR REPETITION THAT I'M VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE FUTURE, BUT I'VE ALWAYS SAID I DO NOT EXPECT IT ALL TO BE SETTLED IN ONE GO: BUT HER VISIT WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT EVENT AND I DO EXPECT PROGRESS STEP BY STEP.
DO YOU THINK HONG KONG CAN MAINTAIN ITS FINANCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONFIDENCE IF THERE IS NOT A CLEAR-CUT STATEMENT?
WELL, I THINK HONG KONG IS ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS FINANCIAL AND GENERAL CONFIDENCE, AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE.
DO YOU KNOW WHOM MRS THATCHER WILL BE MEETING IN PEKING?
I THINK HER PROGRAMME WILL BE FOR NO. 10 (DOWNING STREET) TO ANNOUNCE RATHER THAN FOR US.
SIR, ARE YOU GOING TO PEKING BY YOURSELF STARTING FROM HONG KONG OR ARE YOU GOING BACK TO UK FIRST?
MY PLAN AT THE MOMENT IS TO START FROM HONG KONG,
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