11
1
THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1991
THE GOVERNOR: THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER.
HOW ARE
WE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT. WE WILL SIMPLY IMPLEMENT IT AS IT IS WRITTEN DOWN THERE. WE WILL OF COURSE FULLY IMPLEMENT WHAT IS IN THE MEMORANDUM. WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE US THE ABILITY NOW TO GET AHEAD WITH THE PROJECT WHICH WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO ALL ALONG, BUT OF COURSE WE WILL FULLY IMPLEMENT THE MEMORANDUM.
CATHERINE LEUNG (BUSINESS TIMES): THE AGREEMENT STATES THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL CONSULT THE CHINESE ON MATTERS STRADDLING 1997. DOES THAT MEAN THAT CHINA WILL NOT HAVE VETO POWERS OVER THOSE ISSUES?
CONSULTATION I I THINK, I
THE GOVERNOR: IT'S. THE POINT OF REMEMBER IT CAME UP WHEN THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WAS HERE. WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM ABOUT CONSULTATION, IT'S CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NECESSARY. ON THE VETO POWERS THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER HIMSELF, I REMEMBER QUITE RECENTLY, MADE THE POINT THAT CHINA IS NOT SEEKING, I THINK HE PUT IT, IS NOT SEEKING JOINT ADMINISTRATION, IS SO HE MADE THAT NOT SEEKING A CONDOMINIUM, IT'S NOT SEEKING A VETO. VERY CLEAR AND THE WAY IN WHICH THIS AGREEMENT IS REACHED I THINK FOLLOWS WHAT THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID.
DANNY GILLINGS (SUNDAY POST): COULD YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION OR THE LACK OF IT IN THE FINAL STAGE OF THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS? WERE YOU CONSULTED ABOUT SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S VISIT? HAS THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SEEN THE TEXT OF THIS ACCORD YET?
I DON'T THE GOVERNOR: I WOULD MAKE THE POINT AS A GENERAL ONE. EVER GO INTO DETAILS OF WHAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL DOES, BUT THE GENERAL POINT I MADE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING IS THAT WHOEVER HAVE BEEN THE ACTUAL PLAYERS AT ANY STAGE AT THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND EXCO, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HAVE BEEN VERY FULLY INVOLVED, VERY FULLY CONSULTED AND YES, INDEED, I DID KNOW BEFORE SIR PERCY CRADOCK WENT TO PEKING.
DANNY GILLINGS (SUNDAY POST): WERE YOU ADVISED ASSUMING THERE IS NO DIRECT HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN THE FINAL STAGES IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS?
THE GOVERNOR! I THINK YOU KNOW WHO WAS IN PEKING AND IN THE FINAL STAGES IT WAS SIR PERCY CRADDOCK AND THE NEW BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN PEKING, SIR ROBIN MCLAREN. THERE WAS NO INDIVIDUAL PERSON FROM HONG KONG THERE BUT WE WERE VERY FULLY INVOLVED WITH WHAT WENT ON.
IN
HUGO GURDON (DAILY TELEGRAPH): THE STICKING POINT SEEMED TO BE FOR A LONG TIME THE PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY RATHER THAN THE DETAILS. IF THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE AGREEMENT, WHY DID IT SEEM UNACCEPTABLE
WHY DID IT TAKE SO TERMS OF THIS POINT, THE PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY; LONG TO ACHIEVE?
THE GOVERNOR: IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHY IT TOOK SO LONG LONG TIME TO GET TO A TO ACHIEVE BUT IT DOES SOMETIMES TAKE A PRACTI'AL COMMON SENSE ANSWER.
I
/HUGO GURDON (DAILY TELEGRAPH):