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JUNE 10, 1985
+THERE MAY BE A DEBATE, AND IT IS A GOOD THING THAT THERE ARE DEBATES ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES IN IT, AND THOSE WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, BUT THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW WHAT THE POWERS AND PRIVILEGES ARE.
+MOST OF THEM EXIST ALREADY, I THINK IN FACT ALL OF THEM EXIST ALREADY. IT IS A QUESTION OF HOW THEY SHOULD BE EXPRESSED AND WHAT FORM THEY SHOULD TAKE.
+BUT I THINK THE GOOD THING IS THAT THE DEBATE WILL CONTINUE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND I AM QUITE SURE IT WILL CONTINUE OUTSIDE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNTIL THE SECOND DEBATE WHICH IS IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS' TIME, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD SAID THE BILL HAD NOT BEEN HASTILY PUSHED THROUGH.
+ IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED ALREADY FOR SOME WEEKS. IT WILL BE DISCUSSED FOR A FEW MORE WEEKS. THAT IS NOT PUSHING IT THROUGH HASTILY.+
ASKED WHETHER HE WAS TRYING TO STOP MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES FROM ATTENDING NATIONAL DAY RECEPTIONS GIVEN BY THE CONSULAR CORPS TO WHICH HE HAD BEEN INVITED, SIR EDWARD SAID ANY CONSUL GENERAL, OR ANYBODY, WAS QUITE FREE TO INVITE THE PRESS AS GUESTS.
+ALL WE HAVE SAID IS THAT THERE IS A PLACE FOR HOLDING PRESS CONFERENCES LIKE THIS -- - AND YOU HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR THAT. I SEE YOU TWO OR THREE TIMES EVERY WEEK.
+ALL WE HAVE SUGGESTED IS THAT WHEN WE ARE IN THE RECEPTION ROOM - FOR THE CONVENIENCE OF OTHER GUESTS AND FOR THE DIGNITY OF THE OCCASION, BECAUSE IT IS A NATIONAL DAY -- THAT I AM FREE TO WANDER AROUND AND TALK TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU, BUT AS GUESTS RATHER THAN WITH YOUR TAPE RECORDERS,
+BECAUSE I LIKE TALKING TO YOU WITHOUT YOUR TAPE RECORDERS, AS MUCH AS I LIKE TALKING TO YOU WITH YOUR TAPE RECORDERS,+ HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS NOT A CLAMPDOWN ON MEDIA ACTIVITIES.
+THIS IS A PERFECTLY NORMAL REMINDER TO PEOPLE. IN OTHER COUNTRIES, YOU DON'T FIND THE REPORTERS FOLLOWING WITH TELEVISION CAMERAS AND WITH TAPE RECORDERS IN SOCIAL OCCASIONS.
+BUT HERE, SURELY, YOU DON'T LACK ANY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO ME, HE SAID.
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