SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1986
LONDON TRIP +EXCEEDINGLY USEFUL+
****
THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, RETURNED TO HONG KONG THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING AFTER AN +EXCEEDINGLY USEFUL TRIP+ TO LONDON WITH UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
DURING THEIR FOUR-DAY VISIT, THEY HAD MEETINGS WITH BRITISH MINISTERS ON A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS AND ATTENDED THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
TALKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT THE TRIP,
SIR EDWARD SAID: +WE'VE HAD A VERY USEFUL VISIT.
+ IT GAVE US A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE SITUATION WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND MR RENTON AND BRING THEM UP TO DATE ON DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG.
+THEY ONCE AGAIN ASSURED US OF THE VERY GREAT IMPORTANCE WHICH THEY ATTACHED TO CONSULTATIONS OF THIS KIND,
+ IT WAS OF COURSE VERY MUCH A MATTER OF REVIEW RATHER THAN TAKING NEW SUBSTANTIAL DECISIONS.
+ BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COVER A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS SUCH AS THE STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG, THE 1987 REVIEW, DAYA BAY, VIETNAMESE REFUGEES, BN(0) PASSPORTS AND MATTERS OF THAT KIND.
+QUITE APART FROM THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO MEET A NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT AT A RECEPTION WHICH WE GAVE, AND I ATTENDED A VERY SUCCESSFUL DINNER GIVEN BY THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL,+
DESCRIBING THE DINNER AS A VERY GOOD PART OF THE PROGRAMME SIR EDWARD SAID IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED BY A LOT OF BUSINESSMEN INTERESTED IN TRADE WITH HONG KONG.
+WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT A PROSPEROUS AND STABLE ECONOMY IS VITAL TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, AND TRADE MATTERS ARE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. SO ALL IN ALL, IT WAS A VARIED AND EXCEEDINGLY USEFUL TRIP.+
ASKED ABOUT DIRECT ELECTIONS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNOR SAID: THE SITUATION ON DIRECT ELECTIONS REMAINS AS IT WAS, WHICH IS THAT THEY WILL BE COVERED IN THE 1987 REVIEW.
+AND YOU WILL HAVE SEEN IN STATEMENTS MADE IN LONDON THAT MINISTERS MADE CLEAR THEIR CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO THAT REVIEW AND THEIR INTENTION THAT, IN DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FROM IT, THEY WILL TAKE A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG.+
ON THE DAYA BAY ISSUE, SIR EDWARD SAID THEY HAD REFLECTED THE CONCERNS FELT IN HONG KONG TO MINISTERS.
/+AND YOU'LL