10
QUESTION:
PHILIP HO, FINANCIAL DAILY: MINISTER, IN YOUR UNDERSTANDING, WHAT IS CHINA'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE POLITICAL REFORM OF HONG KONG AND WHAT IS THE RESPONSE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT?
MR RENTON: WELL, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, AS YOU WILL WELL KNOW,
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE WITH AND THROUGH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP UNTIL 1997. I THINK AS FAR AS THE CHINESE ATTITUDE IS CONCERNED, I AM TEMPTED TO SAY TO YOU ASK CHINA+? BUT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE SHALL BE HAVING WITH CHINA, AND PARTICULARLY THAT ALL THE TIME IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS WILL BE TO GO BACK TO THE POINT ASKED ME BY THE QUESTIONER JUST NOW BEHIND YOU, IS OF COURSE TO ENSURE THAT
THERE IS A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THAT THE PROSPERITY WHICH IS AT THE HEART OF HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT, THAT THIS ISN'T PUT AT RISK.
QUESTION (BY EMILY LAU): YES, MR RENTON, TO GO BACK TO MY
PREVIOUS QUESTION. IS IT NOT TRUE ABOUT YOUR OPINION ON POLITICAL REFORMS IN HONG KONG, IS IT NOT TRUE THAT IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH CERTAIN COMMUNITY LEADERS IN HONG KONG OVER COCKTAIL PARTIES,
YOU EXPRESSED DEEP RESERVATION ABOUT WESTERN-STYLE DEMOCRACY FOR HONG KONG, SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIVISIVE, AND IN YOUR OPINION IT IS NOT THE PROPER PATH TO TAKE?
MR RENTON: WELL, I AM PERSONALLY RATHER DISTRUSTFUL OF QUESTIONS THAT BEGIN WITH THE WORDS IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS OVER COCKTAIL PARTIES+ BECAUSE IT IMPLIES A SORT OF NEFARIOUS APPROACH IN THE CORNER OF A ROOM OVER A STRONG GIN AND TONIC AND CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I AM NOT AWARE OF HAVING HAD ANY SUCH PARTICULAR CONVERSATIONS OR, INDEED, OF HAVING MADE SUCH REMARKS. WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU QUITE CLEARLY, AND I SAID THIS IN MY OPENING REMARKS I THINK WHEN I ARRIVED HERE ON SUNDAY, IT IS NOT FOR ME OR FOR MY PARLIAMENTARY COLLEAQUES TO PREACH OR TO TRY AND CONVERT HONG KONG, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, TO A WESTMINSTER FORM OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY. MAY SUIT US, BUT IT HAS TAKEN US OVER 700 YEARS SINCE 1265 TO BE PRECISE, TO EVOLVE THAT FORM OF DEMOCRACY. NOW I REPRESENT THAT FORM OF DEMOCRACY IN WESTMINSTER. I WOULD NOT DREAM OF TRYING TO BE SUPERIOR ENOUGH TO SELL IT TO YOU AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I AM AGAINST THAT FORM OF DEMOCRACY OR THAT I AM SAYING THAT IT IS UNSUITABLE FOR YOU. WHAT I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SAYING ALL ALONG AND TRYING TO SAY IN THIS CONFERENCE THIS MORNING, IT IS UP TO YOU THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WITH THE UNIQUE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENTS THAT YOU HAVE WHICH WE SAW IN THE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND AT THE NEW MEETING
/OF LEGCO
THAT