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SATUR, A1
25, 1985
+TIME AND AGAIN THE CHINESE LEADERS AND THE PEOPLE I MET, NOT ONLY IN BEIJING BUT ELSEWHERE, HAD AFFIRMED HOW IMPORTANT THE CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG WAS TO CHINA'S OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SEPARATE SYSTEM WHICH WILL APPLY IN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997, + HE SAID.
ON HIS VISIT TO EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES, HE SAID THE TRIP HAD PROVIDED HIM WITH A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE WORK OF HONG KONG'S OVERSEAS OFFICES.
+ IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FIRST OF ALL TO SEE OUR OVERSEAS OFFICES IN BRUSSELS, GENEVA, WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK, AND TO SEE HOW THEY INTERFACE WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS, HE SAID.
THE VISIT HAD ALSO GIVEN HIM A CHANCE TO TALK TO A LOT OF GOVERNMENT AND OTHER OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THOSE OF THE GATT.
HE SAID HE WAS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT HONG KONG AND THE MEANING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND HOW HONG KONG WAS SHAPING UP FOR THE FUTURE.
IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION, MR AKERS-JONES SAID HE DETECTED NO WORRY OVER THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG,
+THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN WHAT I HAVE TO SAY AND MY REASONS FOR FEELING CONFIDENT ABOUT THE AGREEMENT, AND THE DETAILS IN IT, HE SAID,
+ I THINK PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED TO HEAR MY ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION.+
ASKED FOR HIS VIEWS ON THE FUTURE OF MACAU, HE SAID THE PRESENT DEVELOPMENT WAS NOT A SURPRISE TO HIM.
+ IT SEEMS TO BE A NATURAL FOLLOW-UP TO WHAT HAPPENED SOME YEARS AGO WHEN PORTUGAL DECLARED THE SOVEREIGNTY OF MACAU, THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF MACAU BEING IN QUESTION.
+SO IT SEEMS A NATURAL FOLLOW-UP TO THAT, AND A NATURAL FOLLOW-UP TO THE JOINT DECLARATION ABOUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE.+
ASKED WHETHER HE WOULD CARRY OUT A RESHUFFLE IN THE GOVERNMENT AFTER HE HAS TAKEN UP HIS POST AS CHIEF SECRETARY, MR AKERS- JONES SAID HIS FIRST TASK WAS TO BRING HIMSELF UP-TO-DATE SINCE HE HAD BEEN AWAY FOR ABOUT 2-1/2 MONTHS.
+ REALLY MUST GET UP-TO-DATE BECAUSE THINGS DO MOVE VERY, VERY QUICKLY IN HONG KONG AND THERE IS A TREMENDOUS LOT GOING ON AT THE PRESENT TIME.
→DON'T EXPECT ANY REVOLUTIONS, HE SAID,
MR AKERS-JONES WILL TAKE UP THE POST OF CHIEF SECRETARY AFTER JUNE 8.
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