TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1984
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'GOVERNMENT NOT AGAINST FUTURE POLITICAL GROWTH'
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THERE IS NO QUESTION OF OPPOSITION BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OR BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
+IT IS SIMPLY A QUESTION OF MAKING IT PROGRESSIVE, TIMING IT WELL, AND TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
THE GOVERNOR WAS SPEAKING TO NEWSMEN AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF A NEW BOTTLING HALL OF THE SAN MIGUEL BREWERY IN SHAM TSENG.
+I SAW IN THE PRESS OVER THE WEEKEND SOMETHING WHICH SUGGESTED THAT PEOPLE HAD MISUNDERSTOOD WHAT HAD BEEN SAID IN PARLIAMENT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID.
+ THE IMPRESSION WAS THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS OPPOSED TO OR SAID 'NO CHANGE' ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE.
+I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO OPPOSITION, SO DON'T MISREAD WHAT YOU READ IN PARLIAMENT, HE SAID.
ASKED WHETHER THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE WAS WHAT HE DISCUSSED WITH THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER, WHEN HE LAST VISITED LONDON,
SIR EDWARD SAID + DISCUSSED QUITE A LOT OF THINGS WITH MRS THATCHER.+
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON WHETHER HONG KONG'S CONSULTATIVE SYSTEM NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, HE SAID THERE WAS ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN ANY SYSTEM.
+BUT THE GREAT THING IS THAT WE SHOULD RECOGNISE THAT WE NEVER STAND STILL IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
+WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE IT BETTER.+
COMMENTING ON THE BID BY CABLE AND WIRELESS TO TAKE OVER THE HONG KONG TELEPHONE COMPANY, SIR EDWARD SAID +WE NATURALLY WELCOME THE KIND OF COMMITMENT WHICH CABLE AND WIRELESS IS SHOWING TOWARDS HONG KONG.+
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