7
FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1993
HAVE,
WHICH
TILINK DIMINISH
LET ME TELL THE HONOURABLE LADY A WORRY WHICH I I'M SURE SHE WILL UNDERSTAND, EVEN IF SHR DOESN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING I SAY OR EVERYTHING I DO, AND I I MIGHT HAVE GOT THAT RIGHT. 1 DON'T THINK THAT TRYING TO
THE
BE STANDING OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WOULD
A VERY HOPEFUL WAY OF COMMENCING TALKS ABOUT THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE POLITICAL FUTURE OF HONG KONG. I CAN'T MYSELF SEE HOW DEMONSTRATES SINCERITY OR HOW IT DEMONSTRATES A COMMITMENT TO MAKE SUCCESS OF TALKS, A SUCCESS WHICH WOULD LIKE TO SEE. I STILL HOPE, I I REPEAT IT STRONGLY AGAIN, I STILL HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE TALKS BUT DON'T THINK THAT TALKS ON THE BASIS WHICH I'VE DESCRIBED WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE.
THAT A
INTRODUCTION
DR K C LAM:
MR PRESIDENT, WHAT FACTORS WOULD THE GOVERNOR CONSIDER IN HIS DECISION TO DECIDE ON THE TIMING OF THE OF THE BILL INTO THIS COUNCIL?
OF
FACTORS,
GOVERNOR:
I'D HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF A NUMBER FOR EXAMPLE WHETHER DESPITE THE DISAPPOINTING DEVELOPMENTS OF THE LAST DAYS, OR WEEKS OR MONTHS, I'D HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THERE SEEMED A REASONABLE BASIS FOR TALKS AND FOR DISCUSSION WHICH WOULD JUSTIFY POSTPONING INTRODUCTION OF THE LEGISLATION. THAT IS THE SORT OF ISSUE WHICH I WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER. IT MAY HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT WE'LL OBVIOUSLY KEEP THE MATTER UNDER REVIEW WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND OF COURSE KEEP THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FULLY INFORMED.
DR CONRAD LAM (THROUGH INTERPRETER): MR PRESIDENT, A QUESTION FOR THE GOVERNOR. HONG KONG PEOPLE ARK CONCERNED ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THEY ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR LIVELIHOOD. WE ARE WORRIED THAT SHOULD THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CANNOT REALLY RESUME TALKS OR BE ON HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP, WOULD THAT AFFECT THE AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER PROJECTS STRADDLING 1997? WILL THEY DELIBERATELY MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT IN THOSE ASPECTS AND THEREFORE AFFECT THE LIVELIHOOD AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN HONG KONG? SO ARE THERE ANY MEASURES THAT YOU HAVE IN THE PIPELINE SUCH THINGS FROM HAPPENING?
TO PREVENT
GOVERNOR : AS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT MADE PLAIN IN THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S BUDGET THE OTHER DAY, WE WANT TO SEE GREATER INVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF HONG KONG AS WELL 45 IN THE SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES OF HONG KONG, BECAUSE IN OUR JUDGMENT THAT PROVIDES THE BEST BASIS FOR THE CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF THIS TERRITORY, THE BEST BASIS FOR CONTINUING THE ECONOMIC MIRACLE WHICH IS HONG KONG. I DON'T THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE DONE OR THAT WE HAVE SAID HAS IN ANY WAY UNDERMINED THE PROSPECTS OF A BETTER FUTURE WITH STRONGER INFRASTRUCTURE
INVESTMENT.
SAY
HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL RECALL WHAT THE BAR COUNCIL HAD TO ABOUT WHAT OTHERS HAD SAID AND DONE ABOUT MATTERS AFFECTING INVESTMENT IN HONG KONG. OTHERS WILL RECALL WHAT THE BAR COUNCIL SAID ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH THOSE REMARKS HAD VIOLATED THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW, NOT REMARKS MADE BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, NOT REMARKS MADE BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE CAN
ALL REMEMBER THAT BEFORE 1997 AND AFTER THE RESUMPTION OF CHINESE
SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, OUR PRINCIPAL CONCERN MUST BE THE WELL-BEING OF ORDINARY FAMILIES AND ORDINARY INDIVIDUALS IN HONG KONG, AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYBODY PLAYING POLITICS WITH THAT,
/MR LAU