WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1993
5
BUT SECONDLY, IN HONG KONG WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR US IN DEVELOPING DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES IS ALREADY PREORDAINED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND WE'RE MOVING AT A STEADY AND PREDETERMINED PACE TOWARDS DEMOCRACY. I DON'T, THEREFORE, THINK THAT THE UNITED STATES AND THE FOUNDATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY HAVE A PLACE TO HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN HONG KONG.
WE HAVE TO WORK OUT OUR OWN ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THE DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA HAS BEEN OVER NOT THE PACE OF DEMOCRATISATION BUT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE DEMOCRATIC ARRANGEMENTS THAT WE MAKE BEFORE 1997. THAT'S A DISAGREEMENT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RESOLVE, I BELIEVE IN A SPIRIT OF GOOD FAITH ON BOTH SIDES.
I HOPE WE WILL RESOLVE IT. IT INVOLVES AS SHEN-ZIENG, THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE HONG KONG MACAO OFFICE SAID, IT INVOLVES QUITE A STIFF CLIMB. I THINK HE SAID A CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA. AND WE'RE ALL FINDING THE JOURNEY BRACING.
JONATHAN.
QUESTION: YES. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS HAVE COME OUT IN THE OTHER NEWSPAPERS, IN BOTH THE WALL STREET JOURNAL AND THE POST, I THINK THE TIMES, I THINK, THAT SAID THAT DIPLOMATS, BRITISH DIPLOMATS HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPIER IF YOU HAD JUST BEEN SEEN PHOTOGRAPHED WITH THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESIDENT HADN'T. MADE HIS BIG PLAY ON DEMOCRACY, AND THERE'S BEEN SOME FEELING THAT MAYBE A LOT OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THAT THE HIGH PROFILE YOU'VE BEEN GETTING HAS ACTUALLY BEEN EMBARRASSING FOR THEM, BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE TO TRY AND SHOW THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THAT YOU ARE HERE TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING WHICH WILL HELP BOTH CHINA AND HONG KONG.
LE F
AND THE AMERICANS KEEP HARPING ON ABOUT AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH MFN IF THE AMERICANS KEEP HARPING ON ABOUT DEMOCRACY. DO YOU THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY SERVED YOUR PURPOSE OR DO YOU THINK IT COULD HAVE DAMAGED HONG KONG'S CAUSE AND YOUR OWN CAUSE IN CHINA?
——
GOVERNOR: IF THIS IS EMBARRASSMENT. GIVE ME MORE OF IT. I THINK THAT
I CANNOT BELIEVE
START A DIFFERENT WAY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THERE IS REALLY, EVEN IN THE DEEPEST BASEMENTS OF THE FOREIGN OFFICE, A DIPLOMAT WHO COULD TAKE THE POINT OF VIEW WHICH HAS BEEN ASCRIBED TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE BY JONATHAN, THOUGH IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT THERE MAY BE THE ODD RETIRED DIPLOMAT WHO MIGHT HAVE SAID THAT IN THE BAR OF THE TRAVELER'S CLUB.
WHO COULD EXPECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHILE SETTING OUT VERY CLEARLY THE PARAMETERS OF AMERICA'S INTEREST IN THESE TO DO MATTERS, WHO COULD EXPECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OTHER THAN EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR CREDIBLE DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS RATHER THAN PLAYING AT DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS.
/SECONDLY, I