7
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1990
MR HURD: NO. I CAN'T BE DEFINITE
ABOUT THAT. I'VE USED THE PHRASE "WITHIN WEEKS, I HOPE" AND THAT REMAINS THE POSITION.
HARVEY PONG (WAH KIU YAT PO): DO YOU KNOW THAT SOME LOCAL COMMITTER LEADERS FEEL VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GIVEN A CHANCE OF MEETING YOU TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE. THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, AND THE LIKE?
MR HURD: YES, I DO KNOW OF THAT DISAPPOINTMENT AND I AM VERY, VERY SORRY TO TH ́M AND I APOLOGISE TO THEM. I KNOW, ALSO, THAT IF 1 HAD BEEN HERE FOR THREE WEEKS INSTEAD OF THREE DAYS, I WOULD NOT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN ABLE TO SEE EVERYBODY WHO WOULD HAVE WISHED TO EXPRESS OPINIONS TO ME ON THOSE MATTERS WHICH YOU MENTION. I ASKED MY PARLIAMENTARY PRIVATE SECRETARY, TIM YEO, IF HE WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH
TO
RECEIVE, YESTERDAY AFTERNOON, GROUPS WHO WANTED TO MAKE POINTS OF THAT KIND WHILE 1 WAS ATTENDING ONE DISTRICT BOARD, WHILE 1 WAS SPEAKING AND LISTENING TO PUBLIC SERVANTS, AND HE DID THAT AND HE HAS REPORTED TO ME ON THEIR REPRESENTATIONS, I'VE ALSO RECEIVED QUITE A LARGE NUMBER OF LETTERS. INCLUDING FROM VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE, AND OF COURSE WE WILL TAKE THOSE INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL. I'VE DONE MY BEST. AND WE'VE DONE OUR BEST AS A TEAM, TO MEET AND LISTEN TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD DURING THIS TIME. AND I APOLOGISE TO THOSE WHOM I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO MEET OR LISTEN TO, PERSONALLY.
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CLAUDIA ROSETT (WALL STREET JOURNAL): HAVE YOU ABSOLUTELY RULED OUT A FULLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE BY 1997? AND IF YOU HAVE - THE SECOND PART
IS IT STRICTLY BECAUSE YOU DO NOT WANT TO IRRITATE CHINA. OR IS IT BECAUSE THERE IS SOME WAY IN WHICH THE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE NOT YET READY FOR THAT?
MR HURD: THE CONCENTRATION HAS BEEN ON THE OMELCO CONSENSUS. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT CONTAINS: IT'S A STATESMAN-LIKE PROPOSAL I'UT TOGETHER AFTER CONSULTING A GREAT DEAL OF HONG KONG OPINION. THE BEST WAY AND I HOPE YOU WOULD ACCEPT
THIS. AND I HOPE YOUR AMERICAN READERS WOULD ACCEPT THIS TOO THE BEST WAY IS A SYSTEM WHICH WILL ACTUALLY ENDURE: THE BEST WAY IS A SYSTEM WHICH WILL MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL START NEXT YEAR TOWARD DEMOCRACY, A START WHICH WILL THEN BE MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED. THAT 18 THE BEST WAY IF ONE IS SERIOUSLY INTERESTED IN DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG AND WISHING TO RECONCILE THAT WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. WITH THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT. IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION, HONG KONG, BECAUSE THE OUTCOME OF CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE IS NOT INDEPENDENCE, CANNOT BE INDEPENDENCE; IT IS THE SINO- BRITISH AGREEMENT. IT IS I INCORPORATION IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC AS AN SAR. IF THAT IS THE OUTCOME WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY OF STARTING AND SUSTAINING AND IMPROVING THE MOVEMENT TO DEMOCRACY WITHIN THAT FRAMEWORK, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING AT.
THEN
CLAUDIA ROSPTT: MAY 1 JUST FOLLOW UP. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU EXPECT IT TO HAVE GONE BY 1997?
MR HURD: WELL. ΥΠΑΤ IS ONE OF THE MATTERS WHICH WE ARE DISCUSSING, AS TO HOW FAR THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE DONE. WITH THE CONTINUED UPWARD SLOPE BEYOND THAT. I.E. WITHOUT THE WHOLE THING COLLAPSING IN 1997.
/SIMON MACKLIN