-
SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1984
ANSWER:
HOW ABOUT THE CHANCE OF IT? WELL WE HAVE TO SEE HOW THIS GOES. OBVIOUSLY WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BOTH CHINESE WISHES ON ALL THIS AS WELL AS OUR REQUIREMENTS. BUT ALL I CAN DO IS TO ASSURE YOU WE ARE WORKING AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. WE WANT AN AGREEMENT, WE BELIEVE THE CHINESE WANT AN AGREEMENT, WE BELIEVE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT AN AGREEMENT. WE DON'T WANT TO DELAY ANY LONGER THAN IS NECESSARY BUT WE MUST WORK AS HARD AS POSSIBLE FOR A DETAILED AND BINDING AGREEMENT.
QUESTION EIGHT:
DOES THE FACT THAT THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT HAS TO BE IN GREAT DETAIL MEAN THERE IS A DISCREPANCY OF VIEWS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES AND HOW FAR IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT INSISTING ON DETAILS.
ANSWER :
IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT IF YOU ARE WORKING FOR A DETAILED AGREEMENT THEN THERE IS A GREAT DEAL TO DISCUSS, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU CANNOT RUSH THE TALKS. INDEED, IF YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE MONTHS THE TALKS HAVE NOT BEEN RUSHED. I THINK IT HAS BEEN AT A REASONABLE PACE. BUT IF YOU WANT DETAIL ON EVERY FACET OF THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND TO GIVE AS MUCH ASSURANCE THAT THAT WAY OF LIFE CAN CONTINUE THEN IT REQUIRES A VERY GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE. IT IS NOT FOR ME TO REVEAL AREAS OF AGREEMENT AND DISAGREEMENT. WE ARE TRYING OUR UTMOST TO IRON OUT THE DIFFERENCES OF APPROACH SO THAT WE CAN REACH A COMMON UNDERSTANDING AT THE END OF THE DAY AND AS SOON AS IS POSSIBLE.
QUESTION NINE:
TALKS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 12 MONTHS AND ALL THIS TIME THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE KEPT IN THE DARK, IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AWARE THAT PATIENCE IN HONG KONG IS RUNNING OUT? HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOU TO TAKE US INTO YOUR CONFIDENCE AND LET US KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON ON SOMETHING THAT IS, AFTER ALL, AFFECTING OUR FUTURE?
ANSWER:
I CAN SAY CERTAINLY THAT, SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE THREE TIMES IN 10 MONTHS, I AM VERY WELL AWARE OF THE SENSE OF FRUSTRATION THAT PEOPLE HAVE WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS OF WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED ABOUT THEIR FUTURE.
I THINK ALWAYS THE TEST WHEN ONE HOLDS RESPONSIBILITY IS TO TRY AND PUT ONESELF INTO THE POSITION OF OTHER PEOPLE.
IF
I WERE LIVING HERE I WOULD CONTINUE TO FEEL UNCERTAIN UNTIL I HAD MORE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES FOR MY LONGER TERM FUTURE HERE.
/so, OF