16
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 1, 1984
QUESTION 26: SIU CHOK-KIN, KUNG SHEUNG DAILY NEWS:
+SIR GEOFFREY, YOU SAID JUST NOW THAT AFTER 1997 THE EXTERNAL DIPLOMACY RIGHTS OF HONG KONG WILL GO BACK TO CHINA. WHAT WILL HAPPEN BETWEEN HONG KONG AND TAIWAN THEN? IS THERE A SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT LISTED IN THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT? IN HONG KONG WE KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF WRITERS AND PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM?+
ANSWER:
+THAT IS NOT SOMETHING I THINK I CAN USEFULLY MAKE ANY COMMENT ON AT THIS STAGE.+
QUESTION 27: VIVIAN MAK, COMMERCIAL RADIO:
+ THE FIRST QUESTION: WHY IS IT THAT THE GROUP HAS TO BE BASED HERE IN FOUR YEARS' TIME? THE SECOND QUESTION IS: DURING YOUR VISIT TO BEIJING HAVE YOU DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD FOR HONG KONG?+
ANSWER:
+THE ANSWER IS THAT THE DATE OF ARRIVAL IN FOUR YEARS' TIME IS ONE OF THE MATTERS THAT HAS EMERGED FROM THE NEGOTIATIONS. THAT IS THE DATE OF THE LOCATION OF ITS PRINCIPAL BASE IN HONG KONG, AND, YES INDEED, WE HAVE DISCUSSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TRANSITION= IT IS FOR THAT PURPOSE, AMONGST OTHERS THAT THE GROUP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED WITH THE THREE FUNCTIONS I HAVE DESCRIBED: LIAISON, CONSULTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT, AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. +
QUESTION 28, NG SIU-CHUN, COMMERCIAL DAILY:
+YOU SAID THAT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG BROUGHT SINO-BRITISH RELATIONSHIPS TO A HIGHER LEVEL. WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT ON THIS?+
ANSWER:
+ I DON'T THINK I DID SAY THAT, BUT I AM PREPARED TO COMMENT ON THE POINT THAT YOU ATTRIBUTE TO ME. THE POINT, I THINK, THAT IS TO BE TAKEN ACCOUT OF IS THAT THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE BETWEEN TWO SOVEREIGN STATES BRITAIN AND CHINA - AND PLAINLY IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY SHOULD BE CONDUCTED ON THE BASIS OF MUTUAL RESPECT BETWEEN THOSE TWO STATES. PLAINLY IF THEY ARE SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AN IMPROVEMENT OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS, WHICH MUST BE A GOOD THING, NOT JUST FOR CHINA AND BRITAIN, BUT FOR HONG KONG. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS, THEREFORE, WHY WE ARE SEEKING TO SECURE, A FULL AND BINDING AND SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT. BUT THE OVER-RIDING PURPOSE OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS IS TO TAKE ACCOUNT AND SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.+
AQUESTION 29,