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FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1984
A.
IN ANY AGREEMENT, IF EITHER SIDE IS FAILING TO FULFIL ITS OBLIGATIONS, OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER PARTY WOULD WANT TO RAISE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT. THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES TO AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, AND THAT IS WHY, AS I SAID IN MY STATEMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT NOT JUST TO SECURE AGREEMENT ON THE FRAMEWORK OF ARRANGEMENTS THAT IS NECESSARY, BUT ALSO TO HAVE THE COMPONENTS OF THAT FRAMEWORK SPELT OUT CLEARLY IN AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE INTERNATIONALLY BINDING BETWEEN TWO STATES.
022. ANDY IP, KUNG SHEUNG DAILY NEWS
A.
SIR, DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME FORM OF GUARANTEE SO THAT THE AGREEMENT WOULD NOT BE CHANGED IN THE FUTURE?
THE GUARANTEES THAT WE ARE SEEKING, THE BEST ASSURANCE FOR ALL THOSE MATTERS IN THE FUTURE, IS THAT THE AGREEMENT, BEFORE WE CONSIDER IT IS SATISFACTORY, SHOULD DESCRIBE AS CLEARLY AND AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE ALL THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY THE FOUNDATIONS OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE. THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PURPOSES OF THE NEGOTIATIONS - TO SECURE AS FULL AS POSSIBLE, AND AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE. A SPECIFICATION OF THE COMPONENTS THAT WILL ASSURE THAT FUTURE.
023. NIGEL HAWKS, OBSERVER
A.
SIR GEOFFREY, IN YOUR STATEMENT YOU SEEMED TO BE SUGGESTING THAT UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY, HONG KONG WILL ENJOY GREATER AUTONOMY, MORE DEMOCRACY, MORE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS OWN FUTURE, THAN IT HAS DONE FOR 100 YEARS UNDER BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY. IS THIS A REALISTIC POSITION, AND WHY SHOULD THE CHINESE ACCEPT IT?
I THINK ONE OF THE IMPORTANT FEATURES FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND, ALL THOSE CONSIDERING THIS MATTER, IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH HONG KONG AT PRESENT DOES ENJOY A VERY HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN THE MANAGEMENT AND CONDUCT OF ITS OWN AFFAIRS. IT IS A VERY CRUCIAL COMPONENT FOR IN THE SUCCESS OF HONG KONG. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS NOT MANAGING HONG KONG. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOVERNING HONG KONG, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS NOT INTERFERING IN HONG KONG. ALL THE MATTERS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT INCLUDING THE MANAGEMENT OF HONG KONG CURRENCY AND ECONOMY ARE GOVERNED BY DECISIONS TAKEN WITHIN HONG KONG ITSELF. AND IF THERE IS THE PROSPECT OF FURTHER ADVANCES TOWARDS MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT NOW, THAT IS A PROSPECT WHICH BECOMES INCREASINGLY LIKELY AND DESIRABLE IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES. AND THAT IS WHY I HAVE SAID IN MY STATEMENT, I DO LOOK FORWARD TO AN INCREASINGLY REPRESENTATIVE FRAMEWORK OF GOVERNMENT.
/Q24.