16
KEVIN LAU: WILL YOU SUGGEST ANY IMPROVEMENT?
LORD CAITHNESS: I AM NOT THE EXPERT ON THAT, BUT OBVIOUSLY I TALKED TO THE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE UNHCR AND I HAVE TALKED TO VARIOUS PEOPLE BOTH IN THE CAMP AND OUTSIDE.
FANNY FUNG: AFTER THIS VISIT DO YOU THINK BRITAIN
IS ALREADY DOING ENOUGH, OR WHAT MORE IS NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR HONG KONG AND IF SO IN WHAT AREAS THAT BRITAIN SHOULD DO MORE FOR HONG KONG?
LORD CAITHNESS: I WILL CONTINUE TO TELL EVERYBODY WHAT AN EXCELLENT PLACE HONG KONG IS, THAT THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES HERE, THAT PEOPLE DO HAVE GENUINE CONCERNS WHICH I NOW UNDERSTAND MORE FULLY, BUT IT IS STILL, IN MY VIEW, GOT A GOOD FUTURE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST WORK TOGETHER AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL SIDE I WILL SEEK TO MAKE SURE THAT HONG KONG'S VIEWS ARE WELL REPRESENTED IN INTERNATIONAL FORUMS.
ANDREA MCLAUGHLIN, RTHK: I WANT TO PICK UP ON THAT SORT OF THEME. MRS EDWINA CURRIE, A BRITISH MP, WAS IN TOWN THIS WEEK AT THE SAME TIME AS YOU WERE AND SHE SAID IN A NUTSHELL THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD BASICALLY STOP RELYING ON BRITAIN AND GET ON WITH THE JOB THEMSELVES AND SHE ALSO IMPLIED THAT BRITAIN HAD BASICALLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT HONG KONG WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT IT HAS NOW. WHAT CAN YOU SAY? WHAT CAN YOU OFFER THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO REASSURE THEM THAT THAT ISN'T TRUE?
OF
LORD CAITHNESS: IF WE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT HONG KONG, FOR THE FIRST THING I WOULDN'T BE HERE ON A SIX DAY VISIT. AND HONG KONG IS GOING TO TAKE UP 50 PER CENT, PROBABLY 50 PER CENT OF MY TIME. WHEN I SPOKE TO FRANCIS MAUDE HE SAID HONG KONG TOOK UP ABOUT 50 PER CENT HIS TIME. IT IS GOING TO TAKE UP PROBABLY 50 PER CENT OF MY TIME TOO. THAT ISN'T ANY INDICATION AT ALL THAT BRITAIN IS FORGETTING HONG KONG, IN FACT, IT IS QUITE THE OPPOSITE. IT SHOWS HOW DETERMINED WE ARE ΤΟ FULFIL OUR OBLIGATIONS RIGHT THROUGH TO THE VERY END.
TO
ANDREA MCLAUGHLIN: PRACTICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NEXT?
LORD CAITHNESS: I HAVE GOT A LOT TO THINK ABOUT, I'VE GOT A LOT DISCUSS WITH PEOPLE AND OBVIOUSLY TAKE FORWARD MANY OF THE THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO ME.
ANGUS FOSTER: HOW LONG TILL WE GET OUR NEXT MINISTER?
LORD CAITHNESS: THAT IS NOT IN MY HANDS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NICE TO MEET YOU ALL.
POINTS