7
TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1989
WHICH
I
A
OF
IS
MOS 7
SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, WE START FROM THE PREMISE ARTICULATED IN MY SPEECH, AND INDEED IN MY STATEMENT TODAY, THAT ON MATTER OF THIS KIND WE NEED TO BE GUIDED VERY MUCH BY THE OPINIONS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE PRESENT CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDED,
PROSPECT TO THE BEST OF OUR JUDGEMENT, ON THOSE OPINIONS. RECENT
THK EXPRESSION HANG ON, CONTAIN YOURSELF
THE EXPRESSION OF THAT OPINION IS THAT EXPRESSED BY OMELCO ON MAY 24 WHICH MOST RECENT OFFERED THE PROSPECT OF 50 PER CENT BY 1997. OMELCO HAVE CLEAR
IT WILL BE RECONSIDERING THAT IN THE LIGHT DEVELOPMENTS.
OF MORK RECENT WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR WE SHALL BE GUIDED, VERY LARGELY, BY THE OUTCOME OF THAT CONSIDERATION.
THEY
▬▬
MADE
LARGELY DO THIS
--
ΤΟ PEOPLE
EVEN THE
WHO ARE FRENCH
CLAUDIA ROSETTE: BUT YOU ARE LISTENING
APPOINTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. WHY NOT
WHY NOT A REFERENDUM ON THE ISSUE OF ELECTIONS?
SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, I'M NOT SURE THAT THE COMMENDATION THE FRENCH" IS MEANT TO PUT IT HIGHER OR LOWER IN PRIORITIES.
THE PATTERN BUT THE FACT IS THAT REFERENDA HAVE NOT BEEN A FEATURE OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT EITHER IN THE UK OR ANYWHERE ELSE. CLEARLY, HAVE TO TRY AND REACH A CONCLUSION THAT IS THE MOST SENSIBLE,
AND
DO, BALANCING A WHOLE RANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES. INVOLVE
AND ALL THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES CONSIDERING THE HISTORY AND PATTERN GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG SO FAR, AND PAYING SERIOUS ATTENTION
OF REPRESENTATIVE OPINIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GENUINELY CONCERNED WITH IT, WHICH AT LEAST, THOSE MEMBERS OF OMELCO.
"EVEN
OF
WE
TO THE INCLUDE
PHILIP BOWRING (FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW): WHY IS IT THAT THERE IS "NO WAY" TO QUOTE YOUR PHRASE, THAT BRITAIN COULD GRANT RIGHT OF ABODE ΤΟ 3.5 MILLION HONG KONG PEOPLE, GIVEN THE FACT MILLION SPANIARDS, EIGHT MILLION PORTUGUESE AND EIGHT MILLION
THAT 40 GREEKS, ARE COMING FROM COUNTRIES WITH STANDARDS OF LIVING LOWER THAN HONG KONG, WITH VERY RECENT RECORDS OF DICTATORIAL REGIMES WHICH COULD PRODUCE ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE IN PEOPLE LEAVING AND SO FORTH. WHY IS IT THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE NOT A PROBLEM, ALL 60 OF THEM, BUT 3.5 MILLION HONG KONG PEOPLE APPARENTLY ARE?
―
MILLION
IT
SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, YOU'LL FIND THAT THERE'S AN INTERESTING SET OF DEVELOPMENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE WORLD TODAY, INVOLVING AS DOES THE EMERGENCE OF REGIONAL GROUPINGS OF INCREASINGLY CLOSE POLITICAL IDENTITY, WHEREBY THE UNCHECKED PATTERN OF EMIGRATION AROUND THE WORLD IS TENDING TO BE REGULATED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BARRIERS OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER, ROUND THOSE REGIONAL GROUPS. YOU'LL FIND THAT THE TREATY OF ROME SEEKS TO PROVIDE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY BUT NOT BEYOND THAT. YOU'LL FIND THE UNITED STATES INCREASINGLY IS TENDING TO CHECK FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AT ITS OWN EXTERNAL FRONTIERS.
/PHILIP BOWRING