7
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1992
QUESTION:
QUESTION.
HONG
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, GOVERNOR, A VERY FRANK Ι WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE AND MEANING OF KONG TO GREAT BRITAIN FOR THE PAST 90 OR SO YEARS? AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE
KNOW, AFTER THE RETURN OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF HONG KONG, AT LEAST FOR THE COMING 50 YEARS WHAT DOES GREAT BRITAIN EXPECT OF SAY
WHAT KIND OF SYSTEM OR WHAT KIND OF SITUATION WOULD GREAT BRITAIN DESIRE AND WANT FOR HONG KONG FOR THE COMING 50 YEARS OR SO?
GOVERNOR:
BRITAIN HAS HAD AN INTERESTING AND INTENSE RELATIONSHIP WITH HONG KONG, BUT IT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT FROM THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE HAD WITH OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THIS REGION, SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA, WE HAD BEEN PREPARING THOSE COMMUNITIES FOR INDEPENDENCE, AND WE'VE PROVIDED THEM WITH THE USUAL WESTMINSTER MODEL OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW AND A CLEAN HONEST GOVERNMENT BEFORE THEY BECOME INDEPENDENT. BUT HONG KONG, FOR REASONS OF HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES, IS NOT IN THAT POSITION, CHINA RESUMES SOVEREIGNTY FOR HONG KONG IN 1997.
1997 DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE LOSE ALL OUR INTEREST IN HONG KONG. ABOVE ALL, WE CLEARLY HAVE A MORAL COMMITMENT THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED, AS I'M SURE IT WILL BE. THAT MORAL COMMITMENT IS MORE INTENSE THAN THAT IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER 1997, AS LAID DOWN IN AGREEMENTS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA. CLEARLY WE MUST DO ALL WE CAN BEFORE 1997 TO ENSURE THAT THE PRINCIPLES AND VALUES ENSHRINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED. I APOLOGISE THAT I HAVE
1 LEAVE YOU NOW BUT I'VE GOT AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANOTHER MINISTER.
TO
FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVES AIRPORT FUNDS
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THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY (FRIDAY) APPROVED A PROVISION OF $6.699 BILLION FOR THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY TO PROCEED WITH THE SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT FOR THE AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOK AND ITS ESSENTIAL RELATED WORK,
FS. COMMENTS ON AIRPORT PROGRAMME
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FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH MACLEOD, SPEAKING TO THE PRESS AFTER THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY (FRIDAY);
"GOOD EVENING, I WILL JUST SAY A COUPLE OF SENTENCES BECAUSE I'VE HAD RATHER A LONG MEETING TODAY.
REALLY,
/"THIS IS