SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1993
TALKS MAKE A BUSINESS-LIKE START
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THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS ON HONG KONG'S ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN 1994 AND 1995 HAD MADE A BUSINESS-LIKE START, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER ADDRESSING A ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I THINK BOTH SIDES KNOW THAT THERE ARE VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES THAT WE'VE GOT TO RESOLVE BUT THERE HAS BEEN A CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH.
"I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SEE PROGRESS OVER THE NEXT DAYS AND WEEKS.'
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ASKED ABOUT WHETHER THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAD NARROWED DOWN, MR PATTEN SAID: "I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD EXPECT ME то TALK IN DETAIL ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN THE TALKS BECAUSE, I THINK, THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WANTS TO GIVE THEM THE BEST CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING AND I THINK THAT REQUIRES A CERTAIN RESTRAINT ON ALL AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE HELD AS CONFIDENTIALLY AS POSSIBLE.
SIDES
"BUT I THINK BOTH SIDES MUST BE GLAD THAT THE TALKS HAVE STARTED IN SUCH A SENSIBLE AND BALANCED AND BUSINESS-LIKE WAY.
IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE TALKS HAD MADE A GOOD START BUT BOTH RECOGNISED THAT THERE WAS A LONG WAY TO GO AND SOME DIFFICULT TO RESOLVE.
TALKS,
SIDES
ISSUES
"I THINK IT'S EQUALLY TRUE THAT BOTH SIDES WANT ΤΟ RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES AND WANT TO FIND THE WAY WHICH WE CAN COME TO DECISIONS WHICH ARE ACCEPTABLE TO BRITAIN, TO CHINA AND TO THE COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG," HE ADDED.
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