THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1991
- 1 -
PM GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE
**
FOLLOWING 19 A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY PRIME MINISTER, MR JOHN MAJOR:
THE
PRIME MINISTER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND MY FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THIS LATE START THIS AFTERNOON. GOOD TO BE BACK IN HONG KONG. IT'S MANY YEARS SINCE I'VE WORKED CHANGES AND I HAVE BEEN FASCINATED TO SEE THE VERY REMARKABLE THERE HAVE BEEN DURING THAT PERIOD.
APOLOGIES
ALSO
IT'S
VERY
HERE
THAT
OVER
LAST EVENING WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO FLY BY HELICOPTER HONG KONG AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG 18 PERHAPS THE MOST VISIBLE AS A EVIDENCE OF ITS SUCCESS AS A COMMERCIAL CENTRE, AND ABOVE ALL,
AND ENTERPRISE PLACE
HUMAN ENTERPRISE AND ALL OTHER FORMS OF WHERE
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVR FLOURISHED IN RECENT YEARS. INGENUITY CAN JUSTLY AND RIGHTLY BE PROUD OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS.
FIRST FREEDOM PEKING
HONG KONG'S CONTINUED SUCCESS IS ONE OF MY GOVERNMENT'É PRIORITIES. WE WANT TO SEE HONG KONG PROSPER AS A CENTRE OF AND ENTERPRISE UP TO AND BEYOND 1997. THAT WAS WHY I WENT TO
I WENT TO CHINA AND I SHOULD LIKE TO REPORT ON MY DISCUSSIONS THERE.
YOU ESSENTIALLY FOR THE SAKE OF HONG KONG AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND OF WHAT THAT VISIT ACHIEVED.
FIRST, WE HAVE THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE AIRPORT. WORK CAN NOW GO AHEAD ON THE AIRPORT CORE PROJECTS - ALL OF THEM. THE WITH MEMORANDUM OPENS THE WAY TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED CO-OPERATION CHINA IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. SECOND, WE HAVE SECURED CLEAR-CUT PUBLIC CHINESE REAFFIRMATION OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO HONOUR THE JOINT ESTABLISHED A DECLARATION IN LETTER AND IN SPIRIT. THIRDLY, WE HAVE
THE JOINT MECHANISM TO END THE BLOCKAGE ON PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION IN
AN EXTREMELY LIAISON
IMPORTANT FOURTHLY, WE HAVE OBTAINED GROUP.
AND AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON HONG KONG'S COURT OF FINAL APPEAL.
ITS FIFTHLY, WE HAVE CONFIRMATION OF THE RIGHT OF HONG KONG TO MAKE
AND SIXTHLY, WE OWN INVESTMENT, PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGREEMENTS.
WE INTEND TO BUILD HAVE CLEARED THE WAY FOR A NEW CONSULATE-GENERAL; SUCH A CONSULATE AND NOT JUST TO LEASE PREMISES.
I WAS ACCOMPANIED TO PEKING BY THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER OFFICIALS FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. TODAY, I WAS ABLE TO BRIEF EXCO ON THE EXCO OUTCOME AND I BELIEVE IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT ALL THE MEMBERS OF EXPRESSED GREAT SATISFACTION AT WHAT HAD BEEN ACHIEVED. I WAS ABLE TO TELL THEM THAT ALL THE CHINESE LEADERS I HAD MRT HAD VOLUNTEERED THEIR HONG KONG HAD GRATITUDE FOR THE TREMENDOUSLY GENEROUS HELP WHICH PROVIDED FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE RECENT FLOODS.
YESTERDAY, I
ALSO
CENTRE.
VISITED RIGH ISLAND DETENTION
WHAT YOU REALISE ABOVE READING ABOUT IT IS NOT THE SAME AS SEEING IT. ALL WHEN YOU GO TO A CAMP, 19 THAT THESE ARE NOT JUST STATISTICA BỰT FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS. THIS IS A HUMAN PROBLEM WHICH REQUIRES A HUMANE POSED ENORMOUB SOLUTION. THE INFLUX OF VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE HAS PROBLEMS FOR HONG KONG. HONG KONG HAS COPED EFFICIENTLY, ALL, HUMANELY. IT HAS NOT BEEN BABY FOR HONG KONG TO POLICY OF FIRST ASYLUM BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WHY 80
THE WORLD ARE PREPARED TO SPEAK UP FOR HONG KONG AND FOR, IS BECAUSE OF HONG KONG'S RRCORD ON THIS
AROUND
STANDS ISSUES.
AND ABOVE PRESERVE THE MANY COUNTRIES
WHAT IT AND ON OTHER
/IT TS
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