THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 1991
Q: CAN I JUST ASK DO YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE IT YOUR INTENTION TO SEE THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCES THROUGH ΤΟ THE END OF DECEMBER...
PRIME
MINISTER: I HAVE ALWAYS MADE IT CLEAR THAT I THINK THE NEGOTIATIONS WHICH WE SHALL HAVE IN THE TWO INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCES ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. I WANT TO BE CERTAIN THAT I AM IN A POSITION ΤΟ NEGOTIATE FOR MY COUNTRY IN THOSE CONFERENCES.
Q: MY QUESTION IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS. FIRST, GLOBALLY SPEAKING, IT SEEMS THAT YOUR VISIT TO CHINA WAS QUITE SUCCESSFUL THAN IN SOVIET UNION. BUT CAN I SAY THAT YOU ARE FAILING TO DELIVER THE G7 MESSAGE IN WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND SUBTLE MESSAGE THAT IS,
THAT SOCIALISM HAS NO FUTURE?
T
ΤΟ CHINA,
BEEN OVER ΤΟ SOCIALISM TERMS OF I THINK AND THAT
PRIME MINISTER: I THINK YOU'VE MISSED SINCE WE'VE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION I SHALL TAKE YOU BRITAIN AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO THE BRITISH ELECTORATE THAT HAS NO FUTURE, A POINT THAT I MOST ASSUREDLY AGREE WITH IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. AS I INDICATED A MOMENT OR SO AGO, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORM ARE INEVITABLE AROUND THE WORLD THEY WILL GO HAND IN HAND TOGETHER. IT IS FOR EACH COUNTRY TO WORK OUT ITS OWN SALVATION IN THAT EVENT BUT THAT THERE IS A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE GREATER POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FREEDOMS I AM IN NO DOUBT. IT IS A MOVEMENT I WELCOME, IT IS A MOVEMENT THAT G7 COLLECTIVELY WELCOME, IT IS A MOVEMENT THAT WE ARE SEEING IN ALL PARTS OF THE GLOBE. I THINK IT IS IRREVERSIBLE.
Q: THE SECOND POINT OF MY QUESTION IS THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE QUITE CONCERNED ABOUT WHO IS THE NEXT GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG. NOW CAN YOU CONFIRM WITH ME THAT THE PRESENT GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON WILL LEAVE NEXT YEAR OR IF THAT BEING THE CASE, WHAT IS THE MOST FEASIBLE QUALIFICATION AND THE CANDIDATE FOR THIS JOB?
PRIME MINISTER: WAS THAT AN APPLICATION ! I CAN CONFIRM TO YOU THERE IS NO VACANCY FOR THE GOVERNORSHIP OF HONG KONG.
SIR DAVID WILSON HAS DONE, AND IS DOING, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO AN EXCELLENT JOB FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. AGAIN, IT IS A MATTER I KNOW SPECULATION THAT ARISES FROM TIME TO TIME AND NO DOUBT WHATEVER IS SAID IT WILL ARISE AGAIN, BUT I BELIEVE HE HAS DONE AN EXCELLent JOB AND IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND ANYTHING BEYOND THAT IS PURE SPECULATION.
MORE
PRESS OFFICER: CAN I MAKE A POINT, WE WILL GET THROUGH A LOT QUESTIONS IF EVERY QUESTIONER RESTRICTS HIMSELF TO ONE QUESTION
PLEASE.
Q: I WONDER PLEASE IF YOU COULD REAFFIRM YOUR GOVERNMENT'S ASSURANCE THAT YOU WILL GO BACK TO CHINA IF THESE FIRST
TO TRY AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS ΤΟ THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IF THESE ELECTIONS THIS YEAR PROVE TO BE A SUCCESS, AND SECONDLY, CAN YOU DEFINE WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN THE GOVERNMENT SAYS A SUCCESS, OR WHETHER THE ELECTIONS ARE SATISFACTORY. WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THIS? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO JUDGE WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN A SUCCES9?
/PRIME MINISTER: