V
+
FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1985
+WE HAVE AFTER ALL NOW GOT ALL THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE ELECTIONS ALL IN PLACE AND I AM HOPING AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WILL PARTICIPATE.+
HE WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT'S NEW PREMISES IN QUARRY BAY TODAY.
ASKED IF THE ELECTIONS WOULD BE A MAJOR TOPIC OF HIS DISCUSSION WITH BRITISH MINISTERS IN LONDON, SIR EDWARD SAID: +I DON'T THINK THAT WILL BE A MAJOR TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, BECAUSE AFTER ALL WHAT HAPPENS NOW IN THE ELECTIONS IS UP TO THE REGISTERED ELECTORS.+
ASKED WHAT EXACTLY HE WOULD BE DOING IN LONDON, SIR EDWARD SAID, +1 SHALL BE DOING QUITE A LOT OF NOTHING FOR AS MUCH OF THE TIME AS I CAN.
+I SHALL CALL IN AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE.
+ I SHALL REVIEW QUITE A LARGE NUMBER OF ISSUES WITH THEM, BUT I SHAN'T BE SPENDING VERY LONG THERE AT THE BEGINNING BECAUSE I AM HOPING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF HOLIDAY.
+AND BEFORE
COME BACK, I WILL CALL IN AGAIN AND I WILL SEE HOW THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAS GOT ON, AND I SHALL SEE HOW THE IR THINKING IS DEVELOPING ON ALL THE OTHER ISSUES WHICH ARE RAISED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION.+
REPLYING TO A QUESTION ON WHY IT WAS NECESSARY FOR HIM TO BE IN LONDON WHEN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP HELD THEIR FIRST MEETING, SIR EDWARD SAID THE ONLY REASON HE WOULD BE IN LONDON WAS BECAUSE HE WAS GOING ON HOLIDAY.
+ IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. IF I WASN'T ON HOLIDAY, I WOULDN'T BE IN LONDON AT THAT TIME,+ HE SAID.
ASKED WHY IT WAS NECESSARY TO GIVE DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO CHINESE MEMBERS OF THE LAND COMMISSION, SIR EDWARD SAID THESE WERE PERFECTLY NORMAL WAYS OF CONDUCTING THIS KIND OF BUSINESS.
+wHEN THERE ARE COMMISSIONS AND GROUPS OF THIS KIND, IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL TO GIVE THE PEOPLE WHO COME HERE FROM OTHER PLACES CERTAIN IMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN CONDUCT THEIR WORK EFFICIENTLY.
+THERE IS NOTHING SURPRISING OR UNUSUAL.+
ASKED WHETHER IT MEANT THAT THE LAND COMMISSION HAD BEEN UPGRADED TO A DIPLOMATIC BODY, HE SAID, +NO, I DON'T THINK IT IS CALLED A DIPLOMATIC BODY. IT'S GOT A VERY SPECIFIC FUNCTION WORKING ON LAND MATTERS,
/+BUT THE