TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1993
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EXCO APPROACH WOULD BE ENDORSED: GOVERNOR
THE GOVERNOR, THE ᎡᎢ HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT HE WAS SURE THAT THE APPROACH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAD AGREED то THE TALKS WOULD BE AN APPROACH ENDORSED AS WELL BY THE BRITISH CABINET AND SENIOR OFFICIALS.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE BEFORE DEPARTING FOR LONDON, THE GOVERNOR SAID : "I THINK THAT AFTER SIX ROUNDS OF TALKS, IT'S AN IMPORTANT TIME TO BE REVIEWING PROGRESS AND TO BE TAKING STOCK.
"WHILE THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND OTHER SENIOR MINISTERS OBVIOUSLY TAKE A CLOSE INTEREST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR DIALOGUE WITH CHINA, THERE'S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR HEARING ABOUT THINGS AT FIRST HAND AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE SORT OF DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY ARE PLANNING FOR THIS WEEK. SO IT IS THE CABINET WHICH IS CRUCIAL.
OBVIOUSLY
FAMILIAR.
THE
"OUR OBJECTIVE IN THE TALKS IS ONE WITH WHICH YOU'RE FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT AN OUTCOME WHICH PROVIDES ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTIONS IN 1994 AND 1995 IN HONG KONG WHICH ARE FAIR AND OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
"SECONDLY, WE WANT TO SECURE A THROUGH TRAIN. WE DON'T THINK THAT IT MAKES TREMENDOUSLY GOOD SENSE TO NEGOTIATE ABOUT THE TRANSFER OF CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS IF ONE ISN'T ENSURING AS WELL THE TRANSFER ON A BASIS OF OBJECTIVE CRITERIA OF THOSE WHO MAN THE INSTITUTIONS, IN PARTICULAR, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
AN
"SO THOSE REMAIN OUR OBJECTIVES. WE WANT TO SEE A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME TO THE TALKS. WE'RE DETERMINED TO DO ALL WE CAN TO SECURE OUTCOME WHICH IS IN THE LONG-TERM BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. THAT'S TAKING A LITTLE LONGER THAN ANY OF US MIGHT IDEALLY HAVE LIKED."
THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS VERY PLEASED THAT THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SZE WOULD BE WITH HIM ON THE VISIT.
"HE HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE THROUGHOUT THESE NEGOTIATIONS, AND KNOWS VERY WELL PRECISELY WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING, HE SAID.
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"SO HIS EXPERIENCE WILL BE VALUED IN LONDON.
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ASKED ABOUT IF HE WOULD GET A DIRECTIVE FROM THE CABINET, THE GOVERNOR SAID : "I THINK THE CABINET WILL UNDOUBTEDLY WISH TO EXPRESS A VIEW ON THE TIMING OF THESE TALKS.
"WE'RE VERY PATIENT. AND I AM SURE THE CABINET WILL THINK THAT WE ARE RIGHT TO BE SO.
"I THINK PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WANT EVERY EFFORT TO BE MADE TO SECURE A SATISFACTORY OUTCOME TO THE TALKS. THEY DON'T WANT THE PRINCIPLES WHICH HAVE ANNUNCIATED TO BE COMPROMISED IN ORDER TO SECURE AN OUTCOME.'
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