WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1992
42
NO SECRET DEAL ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT: GOVERNOR
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EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND UNITED KINGDOM FOREIGN MINISTERS IN 1990 MAKE ABUNDANTLY PLAIN THAT THERE WAS NO SECRET DEAL ON THE FUTURE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A DISTRICT VISIT TO TSUEN WAN, MR PATTEN SAID: "NO SECRET, BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE FROM THE PAPERS, THAT ALL THE EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTERS WERE SEEN BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG AND DISCUSSED BY EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG,
THE
"NO DEAL, HENCE THE FACT THAT THE BASIC LAW IS SILENT ON THE ISSUES WHICH I HAD TO ADDRESS IN MY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEECH.
"NOW THAT THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE PUBLISHED, I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO THE REAL ISSUE WHICH IS THIS: IF PEOPLE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROPOSALS THAT I HAVE PUT FORWARD THEY SHOULD SAY CLEARLY WHAT IT IS SO THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF HONG KONG CAN DISCUSS MATTERS CALMLY AND RATIONALLY AND INTELLIGENTLY.
"THAT IN MY JUDGMENT IS THE WAY FORWARD; THAT IN MY JUDGMENT IS THE WAY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG THAT ALL OF US WANT.
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"I HAVE TO MAKE IT ABSOLUTELY PLAIN THAT DURING THE MEETINGS THAT I HAD LAST WEEK IN PEKING, AT NO POINT WHATSOEVER DID I SAY THAT THE DOCUMENTS SHOULD NOT BE PUBLISHED," MR PATTEN SAID.
INDEED,
I MADE IT CLEAR ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS THAT I WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY TO SEE THE DOCUMENTS PUBLISHED PROVIDED THE FOREIGN MINISTRIES OF CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ALSO AGREED. I HAD NO DIFFICULTY IN COMING TO THAT DECISION BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY SHOULD WANT TO HIDE FROM THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THE DEBATES ABOUT THEIR FUTURE," HE ADDED.
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT IN VIEW OF THE ALLEGATIONS THAT WERE MADE, THERE WAS NO CHOICE BUT FOR HIM TO MAKE THE DOCUMENTS PUBLIC.
THAT DEALS
"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT ANYBODY IN HONG KONG TO THINK ARE BEING DONE BEHIND THEIR BACK. THAT, I REPEAT, IS WHY I HAVE BEEN OPEN AND HONEST WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ABOUT HOW I SEE ABOUT THEIR POLITICAL FUTURE,
"I THINK ONE THING ELSE COMES OUT OF THE DOCUMENTS WHEN YOU READ THEM. AND THAT IS HOW THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME FELT IT NECESSARY AND PROPERLY NECESSARY, TO RESPOND TO THE PRESSURE OF THE COMMUNITY, IN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION.
"THE DEBATE WHICH TOOK PLACE IN 1990 WAS BETWEEN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ASKING FOR A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION AND CHINESE OFFICIALS SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK THERE WAS A CASE FOR A FASTER 1990. PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION. THAT'S WHAT THE ARGUMENT WAS ABOUT IN I HOPE WE CAN NOW PUT THAT BEHIND US, HE SAID.
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