2
FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 1993
ABLE
REPLY.
A
THE
THE PRINCIPLE UNDERSTANDINGS
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK, WE DID RECEIVE A BUT DESPITE FURTHER DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS, IN WHICH WE HAVE CONTINUED TO
EARLY TALKS, WE HAVE PRESS FOR
NOT YET BEEN
TO ANNOUNCE STARTING DATE FOR THEM. WE HAVE MADE PLAIN THAT WE ARE READY FOR TALKS TO PROCEED ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION,
RELEVANT THE OF CONVERGENCE WITH
AND
AGREEMENTS REACHED
CHINA AND
WE BRITAIN.
CONSIDER OUR I MADE PROPOSALS ARE WHOLLY COMPATIBLE WITH THESE AS, FOR EXAMPLE,
24 OCTOBER LAST CLEAR WHEN I ADDRESSED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON YEAR.
BASIC LAW AND BETWEEN
AN
I THOUGHT IT ONLY RIGHT TO GIVE HONOURABLE MEMBERS
CONCERNED WE ACCOUNT
ARE AS FAR AS WE ARE OF WHERE WE NOW STAND. READY TO TALK IMMEDIATELY. FOLLOWING FURTHER EXCHANGES IN PEKING THIS AND WEEK, THERE REMAIN ONLY A FEW POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT WHICH COULD SHOULD BE RESOLVED QUICKLY.
IN THE MEANTIME, WR JUDGE IT BEST TO DEFER GAZETTAL FOR
A FOURTH TIME TODAY.
FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S QUESTIONS ANSWERS SESSION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL:
AND
MR SIMON IP:
GOVERNOR, CAN YOU PLEASE ASSURE THIS COUNCIL THAT IF TALKS SHOULD COMMENCE, THAT THEY WILL NOT BE IN COMPLETE SECRECY AND THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL BE KEPT INFORMED AND BE CONSULTED?
WILL
GOVERNOR:
"
+
MADE
I THINK THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AN ADMIRABLY CLEAR POINT THE OTHER DAY, WHEN HE SAID THIS AND I QUOTE WHAT I THINK HE SAID AFTER A MEETING WITH THE HONOURABLE MEMBER AND SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES IN LONDON. "THE DAYS WHEN THESE MATTERS" HE WAS REFERRING TO THE IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, 'THE DAYS WHEN THESE MATTERS CAN BE SETTLED BETWEEN LONDON AND PEKING WITHOUT TAKING ANY ACCOUNT OF OPINION IN HONG KONG HAVE OBVIOUSLY GONE. HONG KONG HAS CHANGED, HONG KONG CLEARLY HAS A GREATER WISH TO HAVE A SAY IN ITS OWN FUTURE" I THINK IT'S LEGITIMATE TO DRAW THIS DISTINCTION. I DON'T THINK WE CAN HOLD SECRET TALKS BUT I THINK THE COUNCIL WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THE DETAIL OF THE DISCUSSIONS AS THEY CONTINUE HAS TO BE CONFIDENTIAL BUT AT THE END OF THOSE TALKS WE HAVE TO SET OUT, IF THEY TAKE PLACE AND IF THEY LEAD TO AGREEMENT, EXACTLY WHAT THE BASIS OF THAT IS AND J WOULD HOPE IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WOULD AGREE THAT WE'D BEHAVED IN A SENSIBLE WAY FOR THE FUTURE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG,
MR
ALLEN LEE:
GOVERNOR I AGREE TO WHAT YOU SAID IN ANSWERING SIMON IP'S QUESTION, BUT GOVERNOR WOULD YOU INFORM THIS COUNCIL HOW THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONSULT THE PROPLE OF HONG KONG AND THIS COUNCIL AS TO THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE FINAL BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS?
AGREEMENT REACHED
/GOVERNOR: