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THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1991
THE GOVERNOR: LET ME TRY TO ANSWER SOME OF THE IMPORTANT POINTS OUT OF THAT QUESTION. AUTONOMY FOR HONG KONG, THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IS SOMETHING WHICH I BELIEVE IS VERY IMPORTANT INDEED. IT'S WRITTEN DOWN VERY CLEARLY IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. IT'S THERE IN BLACK AND WHITE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THAT SHOULD GO ON. THE PROVISIONS THAT ARE HERE IN, YOU ARE REFERRING TO (C) (1) I THINK. THE DEALING WITH MAJOR CONTRACTS, MAJOR FRANCHISES AND GOVERNMENT GUARANTEED DEBT WHICH STRADDLE 1997, I SEE AS VERY SENSIBLE, PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS. YOU WILL SEE WHAT IS WRITTEN DOWN THERE. IT'S VERY CAREFULLY WRITTEN DOWN, THAT THERE WILL BE CONSULTATION ON THESE THINGS. CHINA SAYS THAT THEY WILL TAKE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. THERE IS A TIME LIMIT: AND I THINK THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE ONE SHOULDN'T, ONE MUSN'T GET HELD UP ON ALL THESE PROJECTS. THERE IS A TIME LIMIT OF A MONTH FOR THAT AND THAT ANY DECISION WILL GIVE FULL WEIGHT TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS. I THINK IT'S ALL VERY CAREFULLY WRITTEN AND IT ALSO SAYS WHAT THE GOVERNING CRITERIA WILL BE. I DON'T THINK THIS UNDERMINES THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY OF THE S.A.R. AT ALL.
FANNY WONG (SCMP): BUT DON'T YOU AGREE THAT IN THE BUSINESS OF THE JLG, FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU DISCUSS IN THE JLG WILL REQUIRE THE CHINESE APPROVAL BEFORE YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO AHEAD WITH THOSE THINGS?
THE GOVERNOR: THE JLG IS A BODY FOR DISCUSSING MATTERS. I MEAN IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY LAY DOWN ANYWHERE IN THE JLG DOCUMENTS, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A COMMON VIEW ON ANYTHING. THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THAT PARTICULAR ANNEX OF THE JOINT DECLARATION OF WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO SIDES; BUT HERE WE HAVE SOMETHING REALLY VERY CLEARLY LAID DOWN ON HOW TO DEAL WITH WHAT IS A VERY OBVIOUS PROBLEM, ISN'T IT? WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT MAJOR FRANCHISES WHICH STRADDLE 1997? HOW CAN THE FRANCHISEE HAVE, IF THAT'S THE RIGHT TERM, HOW CAN THE PERSON GETTING THE FRANCHISE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT THE FRANCHISE IS GOING TO GO ON BEYOND 1997, WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO HIM OR THAT ORGANISATION AS AN INVESTOR, AND HERE I THINK IS A SENSIBLE PRAGMATIC WAY OF DEALING WITH THAT PROBLEM.
FANNY WONG (SCMP): SO IT IS
IS NO DIFFERENT FROM JOINT RULE IN THAT CASE.
THE GOVERNOR : I DON'T SEE THIS AS BEING JOINT RULE IN THE SLIGHTEST AND I'VE JUST QUOTED THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER ON SAYING THAT'S NOT WHAT CHINA IS SEEKING.
FANNY WONG (SCMP): WHAT ABOUT MY SECOND QUESTION? CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A BRIEF REPLY?
THE GOVERNOR: I AM VERY SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT WHAT YOUR SECOND QUESTION WAS?
/FANNY WONG (SCMP):