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PRIDAY, MAY 28, 1993
QUESTION:
DO YOU SEE THAT THERE WILL BE A SHADOW CAST ON THE BUSINESS FIELD BECAUSE CONDITION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IS BEING CONSIDERED.
GOVERNOR:
I THINK YOU KNOW THAT THE DECISION WHICH I WOULD HAVE LIKED BEST WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL. MANY PEOPLE HAD AGREED THAT THAT WAS UNLIKELY TO BE AN AVAILABLE OPTION BUT I AM PLEASED THAT THERE IS A YEAR AHEAD FOR PEOPLE TO ADJUST POLICIES AND TO IMPROVE THEIR UNDERSTANDINGS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. NOBODY SHOULD UNDER-ESTIMATE THE COMMITMENT WHICH THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE TO IMPROVEMENTS IN HUMAN RIGHTS AROUND THE WORLD AND NOBODY SHOULD DOWNPLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE MORAL CONSIDERATIONS TO U.S. ADMINISTRATION BUT WE DO HAVE THE CHANCE NOW, I THINK, OF HELPING TO IMPROVE THE TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CHINA. AND IF WE CAN DO THAT SATISFACTORILY, HONG KONG WILL BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST BENEFICIARIES. WE ARE AT THE GATEWAY OF CHINA, WITH THE SWING DOOR BETWEEN CHINA AND THE REST OF THE WORLD AND IT IS NOT MERELY IN OUR INTEREST THAT THE DOOR SHOULD CONTINUE TO SWING OPEN, IT IS IN THE REGION AND THE WORLD'S INTEREST THAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
QUESTION:
MAY I ASK SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. THE EXPERT GROUP OF THE JLG AND THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE ARE GOING TO HOLD ANOTHER ROUND OF TALKS. DOES IT IMPLY THAT THE TALKS IN BEIJING ARE GETTING PROGRESS?
WE
GOVERNOR:
WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN PEKING. THE ISSUES THAT ARE TACKLING ARE VERY DIFFICULT ONES. BUT I THINK WE ARE DEALING WITH THOSE PROBLEMS IN A GOOD AND CONSTRUCTIVE SPIRIT. BUT I THINK WHAT IS HELPFUL IS THAT THERE'S BEEN A DISTINCTION HERE AS IN THE ISSUES WE'VE JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT BETWEEN POLITICS AND TRADE. AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN SOLVE THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ON THEIR OWN TERMS. I HOPE IN DUE COURSE WE CAN SOLVE THE POLITICAL PROBLEMS AS WELL. BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE TALKS IN PEKING THAT WE'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON JLG ISSUES, WELL I HOPE WE HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS ON JLG ISSUES. IN HONG KONG.
QUESTION: COMMITTEE,
CHINESE SIDE.
GOVERNOR:
CONCERNING THE RE-OPENING OF TALKS AT THE AIRPORT HAS THERE BEEN A NEW FINANCIAL PACKAGE PROPOSED TO THE
WE'VE HAD CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AND WE'VE BEEN MAKING PROPOSALS AND I HOPE THAT THOSE WILL BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED WHEN THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETS.
QUESTION:
GOVERNOR:
WHAT SOIT OF PROPOSALS YOU MEAN? CAN YOU ELABORATE?
I DON'T THINK THIS EVENING IS THE RIGHT TIME TO GO INTO THOSE IN DETAIL AND THERE WAS A VERY GOOD QUESTION. NOR DO YOU.
QUESTION:
HOW ABOUT IF THE TALKS IN BEIJING IS NOT GETTING PROGRESS, WOULD YOU IMPOSE A DEADLINE, CONSIDERING IMPOSING A DEADLINE ON THE BILLS TO BE TABLED AT LEGCO?
/GOVERNOR