MONDAY, JULY 27, 1992
FOREIGN
SECRETARY:
WAS SOME YEARS AGO. WHY?
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I DON'T THINK OUR
GENERAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA HAS DETERIORATED - THAT WAS THE QUESTION. IT HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS. I BELIEVE, BASICALLY, IT IS SOUNDER THAN IT BECAUSE WE NOW FIND IT POSSIBLE TO DISCUSS A WIDER RANGE OF THINGS FRANKLY WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THAN USED TO ВЕ SO, AND WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS TO DISCUSS. MUCH THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA IS HONG KONG. HONG KONG COMES FIRST IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA, AND THEREFORE WE HAVE TO USE WHAT HAS BEEN BUILT, USE THAT ABILITY
TO HAVE A FRANK DISCUSSION, WE HAVE TO USE THAT ABILITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF HONG KONG IN THE WAYS THAT I HAVE DESCRIBED.
IS THERE STILL A
GEOFF CUTMORE (ATV):
BRITISH COMMITMENT ΤΟ INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-ELECTED SEATS TO LEGCO, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF STIFF CHINESE OPPOSITION TO ANY GREATER PACE OF DEMOCRACY?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
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WHAT WE'VE SAID, REPEATEDLY, IS THAT WR WILL DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE, THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1995, AND IN PARTICULAR THIS QUESTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY-RLRCTED SEATS, BECAUSE WE WOULD LIKE TO SER CONTINUITY THE THROUGH-TRAIN WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WE DECIDE FOR 1995 CARRIED THROUGH AFTER 1997.
NOW THIS IS PART OF THE GENERAL REVIEW WHICH THE GOVERNOR IS MAKING OF DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL LIFE. YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY YOU'VE HEARD HIM SAY
THAT HE IS LISTENING, HE'S STUDYING, AND THAT IT WILL NOT BE VERY LONG BEFORE HE REACHES CONCLUSIONS, SHARES THEM WITH US, AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS AS NECESSARY WITH PEKING,
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VIVIEN CHAN (HK UNITED DAILY NEWS): MR HURD, THE CHINESE SIDE HAS ALREADY CRITICISED (THE FACT THAT) THE CALLABLE EQUITY WENT BEYOND THE MOU - THIS CURRENT MOU BUT YESTERDAY AT THE AIRPORT YOU STILL MENTIONED THAT THE FINANCIAL DISPUTES WILL BE SOLVED ACCORDING TO THE MOU. HOW CAN THIS BE DONE?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
WELL, I WOULDN'T PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO BACKGROUND MUSIC. WHENEVER THERE'S A NEGOTIATION ON THIS KIND OF MATTER THERE TENDS TO BE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF REPORTS IN THE PRESS, COMMENTS IN THE PRESS, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT. WHAT COUNTS IS THE DISCUSSION. THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ON THIS OUTSTANDING FINANCIAL MATTER IN PEKING, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS HERE IN THE AIRPORT COMMITTER, THERE IS A FURTHER MEETING OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE THIS WEEK. I HOPE VERY MUCH UNDER OUR PROPOSALS AND COUNTER-PROPOSALS ON THIS MATTER WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE MOU. THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO TACKLE IT AND I HOPE VRRY MUCH THAT IT CAN BE SOLVED IN THAT WAY.
LAU CHI-WAN (HK ECONOMIC TIMES): MR FOREIGN SECRETARY, ONE OF THE FOCAL POINTS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG IS ABOUT THE EXCO. WILL, MARTIN LEE BE APPOINTED AS AN EXCO MEMBER?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME, AND NOR, INCIDENTALLY, IS IT A MATTER FOR THE PROPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, IT'S A MATTER FOR THE GOVERNOR.
/THE GOVERNOR: