TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1990
SIMON MACKLIN (SCMP);
CHANCE
HONG
PRECISE
HAD
WHAT
FOREIGN SECRETARY, NOW YOU HAVE
A
TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE OF
KONG, OTHER VOICES DO YOU HAVE TO HEAR BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS ON
REFORM? POLITICAL
WHY IS IT YOU CAN'T BE TIME-TARLE? IS IT THAT THERE IS SOME OTHER INFLUENCE YOU'RE WAITING
THE
ABOUT YOUR
FOR?
MR HORD: BECAUSE
I'VE WHICH QUESTION, WE VERY THAT WILL BE
DON'T VRT KNOW IF THE BEST WAY DESCRIBED IS ATTAINABLE. WHEN I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE A DECISION, AND I DON'T THINK LONG.
HEAR SIMON MACKLIN: BỰT HOW WILL YOU ATTAINABLE? WHAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE,
WHETHER OR NOT
IT
13
RESULT OF WHAT THE PEOPLE'S IF IT'S NOT
MR HURD: WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT AS A HAS BEEN SAID HERE, AS A RESULT OF CONTACTS WITH REPUBLIC, AS TO WHETHER THE BEST WAY IS ATTAINABLE. ATTAINABLE THEN WE WILL HAVE, AS I'VE SAID, TO TAKE THE BRITISH AND BEST HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS | OWN DECISION IN WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.
SIMON MACKLIN: SO IT'S UP TO CHINA, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC, TO TELI. YOU WHETHER OR NOT IT IS ATTAINABLE"
15
TALKING ABOUT A
MR HURD: NO, IT'S NOT. OBVIOUSLY, IF ONE CONTINUED PROGRESS AFTER 1997 THERE ARE TWO PARTS OF IT; ONE IS BEFORE AND ONE IS AFTER. WHAT IS BEFORE IS WITHIN OUR DECISION; WE HAVE TO TAKE DECISION AND THAT IS NOT A MATTER WHICH CHINA DICTATES. 1 MADE THAT CLEAR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. BUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER, WHETHER 17 IS POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN AND CONTINUE THE
THEN PROGRESS, THAT 1S NOT A MATTER FOR OUR DECISION. AND THAT IS WHY THE KIND OF CONTACTS WHICH THE GOVERNOR HAS HAD, THE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN HAD WITH THE CHINESE ON THIS ARE ESSENTIAL, IF ONE IS LOOKING, SERIOUSLY, FOR THE BEST WAY. IT IS NOT GIVING THEM A VETO OR A RIGHT OF DECISION ON WHAT IS WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION BUT [T IS SEEKING TO ESTABLISH WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR HONG KONG
NOT TIE
SINO-BRITISH RELATION
THE BEST WAY FOR HONG ONG ᎨᎦ ACTUALLY ATTAINABLE.
}
I CAN'T CONFESS
PHILIP BOWRING (FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW) : TO HAVE READ IT, BUT I GATHER YOU HAVE WRITTEN A NOVEL ABOUT THE LAST DAYS OF HONG KONG.
.
MR HURD: IT'S A BEST SELLER WITH A HAPPY ENDING.
PHILIP BOWRING:
WILL TRUTH BE STRANGER THAN FICTION?
MR HURD: DO READ IT. YOU MIGHT EVEN PERSUADE MY
PUBLISHERS
TO
REPRINT IT.
/EMILY LAU