TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1984
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MINISTER OF STATE MEETS PRESS
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FOLLOWING IS THE STATEMENT BY MR RICHARD LUCE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON:
"FIRSTLY LET ME SAY THAT I AM VERY PLEASED TO BE HERE AGAIN. THE LAST TIME WAS ONLY FIVE MONTHS AGO, AND, AS YOU KNOW, ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO REGULAR VISITS TO HONG KONG. I EXPLAINED ON MY ARRIVAL THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERTAKING A FAR EASTERN TOUR. HAVE BEEN ATTENDING THE FIRST NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN BRUNEI WITH THE PRINCE OF WALES AND I GO ON TODAY TO MALAYSIA, AND I REGARD THIS AS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF MY TOUR. JUST LIKE LAST TIME, IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, I, OF COURSE, HAVE HAD LENGTHY TALKS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND, INDEED, AS WITH LAST TIME, WITH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN PEKING, AND VALUED THAT VERY MUCH. I HAVE ALSO HAD CONSULTATIONS WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, AND VERY FULL DISCUSSIONS TOO, LAST NIGHT WITH UMELCO AND, OF COURSE, THAT REINFORCES THE POINT THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE REPEATEDLY MADE ABOUT THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE OF CONSULTATIONS, WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND WITH THE UNOFFICIALS.
"I HAVE CONTINUED AS WITH LAST TIME TO LISTEN TO A WIDE RANGE OF VIEWS, AND I THINK THIS ADDS FURTHER TO THE CROSS SECTION OF VIEWS THAT I ATTEMPTED TO LISTEN TO, THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR, FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF THE SOCIETY OF HONG KONG.
"I HAVE ALSO HAD THE CHANCE THIS MORNING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF HONG KONG BY VISITING THE EASTERN DISTRICT. AND I CANNOT STATE ENOUGH TIMES, THE VALUE THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND PLACE UPON PERSONAL CONTACT AT THIS PERIOD IN THE HISTORY OF HONG KONG. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ARE COMMITTED TO SEARCH FOR A SETTLEMENT WHICH WILL ENSURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG, A SETTLEMENT WHICH, AS YOU KNOW, WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT IS OUR AIM TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND, OF COURSE, TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
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"THE TALKS ARE PROCEEDING BETWEEN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE ATMOSPHERE IN THESE TALKS IS GOOD. WE ARE COVERING DETAILED GROUND AND, OF COURSE AS YOU KNOW, THE LAST TALKS WERE LAST WEEK IN PEKING, THE NINTH ROUND. WE ARE GETTING ON STEADILY WITH THESE TALKS AND WHAT WE, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, WANT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR HONG KONG, I WANT TO STRESS TO YOU THAT I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE. THESE TALKS WHICH WE ARE HAVING IN PEKING, ARE PROCEEDING AT A PACE WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE JUST THAT OBJECTIVE. AND I WANT TO SAY THIS: THAT UPPERMOST IN OUR MIND, THE MIND OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, IS YOUR FUTURE, THE FUTURE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I HAVE VALUED MY VISIT HERE ENORMOUSLY, AS
I DO EACH TIME. AND I SHALL BE REPORTING OF COURSE ON MY VISIT TO SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, AND I SHOULD JUST ADD, PERHAPS, AS A FINAL REMARK THAT SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, WILL HOPE TO VISIT HONG KONG IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
"NOW I AM VERY HAPPY TO TRY AND ANSWER QUESTIONS"
/QUESTION SESSION