WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1983
gr +MINISTER YOU SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE BUFFETINGS ON THE WAY TO A SOLUTION. THOSE BUFFETINGS ARE BOUND TO AFFECT THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND IN PARTICULAR THE LOCAL CURRENCY IS THERE ANYTHING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO PROTECT THE LOCAL CURRENCY AGAINST SUCH EFFECTS?
At +WELL, I THINK THAT I WAS ENDEAVOURING TO DEMONSTRATE SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL UNDERSTAND VERY FULLY, THAT AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE FEELING A LITTLE INSECURE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT YET CERTAIN OF THE NATURE OF THE SOLUTION THAT WE REACH, THERE WILL BE UPS AND DOWNS, THERE WILL BE BUFFETING, THERE WILL BE, IF YOU LIKE TO USE ANOTHER ANALOGY, TURBULENCE.
+ INDEED WHEN I LANDED IN HONG KONG ON SATURDAY - I HOPE IT WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME - BUT THE LEVEL OF THE DOLLAR HAD GONE TO RATHER AN UNUSUAL LEVEL. IT'S STEADYING AGAIN AND 1 THINK THAT WHAT IS REQUIRED IS A STEADY NERVE AND TO KEEP OUR SIGHTS ON OUR OBJECTIVE, NOT TO LOSE OUR NERVE. TO KEEP OUR RESOLVE, TO KEEP OUR DETERMINATION, AND EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO MY MIND BEARS OUT THAT YOU HAVE THOSE QUALITIES.
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+COULD I JUST SAY I OUGHT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU SAID, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT COULD DO THIS REALLY IS A MATTER FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND I BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY HERE HAVE HANDLED THIS SITUATION WITH GREAT DECISIVENESS. AND I HAVE GREAT ADMIRATION FOR THAT, AND I'M SURE THAT THEIR ACTION TAKEN IN A VERY CALM AND RATIONAL MANNER-SHOULD DO A LOT TO HELP RESTORE AND RETAIN CONFIDENCE.
QI +THE CHINESE PRESS FELT RECENTLY THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WANT TO CONTINUE ITS ADMINISTRATION BEYOND 1997, MAY WE KNOW WHETHER IT'S THE POSITION, WELL-KNOWN POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. AND CAN YOU TELL US WHAT IS THE WELL-KNOWN POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG?
A: +WELL NOW YOU KNOW THIS IS EXACTLY AN EXAMPLE OF THE SORT OF THING THAT IF WE START INDULGING IN A COUNTER-ARGUMENTATIVE CAMPAIGN WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT HELP ANYBODY. OUR OBJECTIVE IS NOT TO TALK IN PUBLIC ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND LET ME JUST ASK YOU TO TOGETHER LET'S JUST FACE UP TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS. IF, I SPEAK AS FRANKLY AS I CAN, IF EVERY TIME THERE WAS A SUGGESTION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IS THIS, OR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S POSITION IS THAT, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER IT'S ACCURATE OR INACCURATE, WE THEN RESPOND, THEN THERE'S ANOTHER RESPONSE, THEN THE THING SPECULATES MORE AND MORE AND GOES UP AND UP LIKE THAT, THEN WE DO NO SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THAT'S NOT OUR OBJECTIVE. WE'VE GOT TO KEEP OUR SIGHTS ON THE LONG TERM AND WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE IS AND I CAN JUST ONLY GO ON RESTATING TO YOU HOW STRONG OUR COMMITMENT IS TO THAT OBJECTIVE WHICH I HAVE DESCRIBED, WHICH HAS FEATURED IN EVERY STATEMENT FROM THE PRIME MINISTER TO THE QUEEN'S SPEECH OF JUNE THIS YEAR, AND TO MY REMARKS THIS EVENING.
'Q: +MINISTER,