THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1993
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THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY):
MR PRESIDENT,
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I AM GRATEFUL TO HONOURABLE MEMBERS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY MAKE A STATEMENT ON MY VISIT TO BRUSSELS AND TO LONDON AND ALSO то TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY WHICH IS THE RESULT OF A COINCIDENCE IN THE TIMING OF ONE OF MY REGULAR VISITS TO THE COUNCIL, TO SAY A FEW BRIEF WORDS ABOUT THE TALKS WHICH HAVE STARTED IN PEKING THIS MORNING.
I VISITED BRUSSELS FROM APRIL 1 TO 2 AND WHEN I WAS THERE I HAD MEETINGS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, MONSIEUR JACQUES DELORS, THE COMMISSIONER RESPONSIBLE FOR EXTERNAL TRADE RELATIONS, SIR LEON BRITTAN, AND THE BELGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, MR CLAES. THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY IS OUR THIRD LARGEST TRADING PARTNER. SOME THIRTEEN PER CENT OF OUR TOTAL TRADE IS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBER STATES SO THIS WAS A USEFUL OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL CONCERN WITH OUR COMMUNITY COLLEAGUES.
I VISITED LONDON FROM APRIL 2 TO 16 WHERE I HAD AN AUDIENCE WITH HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN, TWO MEETINGS AND A LUNCH WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND MEETINGS WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR DEFENCE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER MINISTERS. I HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG AFFAIRS, MR ALASTAIR GOODLAD AND I BRIEFED HIM AND OTHER OFFICIALS AND MINISTERS ON ALL THE MAJOR HONG KONG ISSUES. HONG KONG OCCUPIES A PROMINENT PLACE ON THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA AND THAT GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO STAND FOURSQUARE BEHIND THE APPROACH THAT WE HAVE BEEN TAKING.
I ALSO MET MR JACK CUNNINGHAM, THE LABOUR PARTY'S PRINCIPAL SPOKESMAN ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS WHO CONFIRMED ONCE AGAIN THE LABOUR PARTY'S SUPPORT FOR THE POLICIES WE ARE PURSUING.
I ALSO GAVE SPEECHES TO THE ROYAL INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND TO THE TORY REFORM GROUP AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF TELEVISION AND RADIO
INTERVIEWS.
I WAS PLEASED THAT DURING MY VISIT TO LONDON IT WAS POSSIBLE TO ANNOUNCE THE TALKS THAT HAVE BEGUN TODAY BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA ON THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994 AND 1995 IN HONG KONG. WE HAVE MADE CLEAR ALL ALONG THAT WE WERE READY FOR SUCH TALKS TO TAKE PLACE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS. I AM GLAD THAT THEY ARE NOW DOING
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WE MUST ALL HOPE THAT IT WILL BE POSSIBLE то REACH AN UNDERSTANDING IN THESE DISCUSSIONS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THAT IS OUR AIM. THERE WILL, I CAN ASSURE HONOURABLE MEMBERS, BE NO HIDDEN AGREEMENTS. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WILL BE FOR YOU IN THIS COUNCIL TO DECIDE ON THE LEGISLATION SETTING IN PLACE THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/1995. THAT IS YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY AND WILL REMAIN SO.
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AS I'VE ALREADY INDICATED TO HONOURABLE MEMBERS, THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS WILL HAVE TO BE CONFIDENTIAL BUT WHILE I WILL NOT BE IN A POSITION TO EXPLAIN TO THIS COUNCIL, AFTER EACH ROUND OF NEGOTIATION, THE DETAILS OF WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, I WILL OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE LISTEN CLOSELY TO LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS VIEWS IN ORDER TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THINKING IN THIS COUNCIL AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
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