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GOVERNOR IN LEGCO
THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1993
FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF A STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, AT THE LEGCO MEETING TODAY (THURSDAY):
1 AM DELIGHTED ΤΟ HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY ΤΟ MAKE A BRIEF STATEMENT ON MY VISIT TO LONDON FROM THE 30TH JUNE TO THE 2ND JULY. WITH MEMBERS AGREEMENT, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S VISIT ON THE 8TH AND 9TH JULY TO PEKING. I HAD A GOOD 48 HOURS IN LONDON. MINISTERS CONFIRMED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE PRINCIPLES WHICH UNDERPIN OUR POSITION IN THE TALKS; FIRST THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994 AND 1995 ELECTIONS SHOULD BE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, A FAMILIAR PRINCIPLE BUT ONE THAT BEARS REPETITION; AND SECOND, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A GENUINE "THROUGH TRAIN" WITH CLEAR OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR THOSE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE ELECTED IN 1995. ON THAT POINT, DESPITE THE FLURRY OF PRESS SPECULATION AT THE TIME OF MY VISIT ΤΟ LONDON, THERE HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGE IN OUR POSITION. I ALSO SAW IN LONDON, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE LABOUR SPOKESMAN ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS. IT WAS A USEFUL OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THEM UP TO DATE AND A USEFUL REMINDER AS WELL OF THE STRONG CROSS PARTY SUPPORT THAT EXISTS AT WESTMINSTER FOR THE APPROACH WE HAVE TAKEN. MINISTERS ALSO ENDORSED OUR RECOMMENDATION THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY SHOULD VISIT PEKING. AS YOU KNOW, HE DID SO ON THE 8TH AND 9TH JULY, ACCOMPANIED BY THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS. IN PRKING, HE HAD USEFUL TALKS WITH VICE PREMIER AND FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN, HE ALSO SAW PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY GENERAL JIANG ZEMIN. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WENT TO PEKING, AS YOU KNOW, NOT TO NEGOTIATE BUT TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON WHAT WE REGARD AS ESSENTIAL IN THESE TALKS. THE FOREIGN SECRETARY DID NOT MENTION DEADLINES DURING HIS VISIT, JUST AS I HAVE AVOIDED RINGING DATES IN THE CALENDAR, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT TIME MARCHES ON AND THAT THERE ARE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH HAVE TO BE MADE IN GOOD TIME; SO WR CANNOT GO ON TALKING INDEFINITELY.
IN ADDITION TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY ALSO COVERED THE TALKS IN THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE AND IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. ON THE AIRPORT, HE EMPHASISED TO THE CHINESE SIDE THAT DELAY IS EXPENSIVE AND DAMAGING TO HONG KONG AND TO CHINA. HE RAISED THE CENTRAL AND WANCHAI RECLAMATION SCHEME AND I AM PLEASED то SAY THAT THE CHINESE SAID THEY HAD NO OBJECTION TO THE FIRST PHASE OF THAT SCHEME. IT WILL NOW GO TO FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR CONSIDERATION. 80 THAT IS PROGRESS, ALTHOUGH PLAINLY THERE IS A GREAT DEAL STILL TO DO. WE MUST WORK MORE QUICKLY IF CHEP LAP KOK IS TO BE COMPLETED ON TIME. SIMILARLY, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY UNDERLINED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE PILE-UP OF WORK THAT WE NOW SEE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. MUCH OF IT VERY TECHNICAL, MUCH OF IT NOT INTRINSICALLY POLITICAL, BUT ALL IT ESSENTIAL IF THERE IS NOT TO BE A GAPING VOID IN THE LAWS OF HONG KONG WHEN SOVEREIGNTY CHANGES, I CANNOT EMPHASISE STRONGLY ENOUGH THE NEED TO GET CRACKING. SO A GOOD VISIT, CONDUCTED IN A CONGENIAL ATMOSPHERE, AS THE FOREIGN SECRETARY EMPHASISED, THE PROOF OF ITS SUCCESS OR OTHERWISE WILL COME IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. MEANWHILE, OUR NEGOTIATORS WORK ON.
THERE WILL BE A FURTHER ROUND
OF TALKS NEXT WEEK, AND, WE HOPE, A FURTHER ROUND IN AUGUST, THOUGH THE DETAILS
REMAIN TO BE AGREED.
FOR
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CHAIRMAN: MEMBERS WILL NOW PUT QUESTIONS TO THE GOVERNOR ON MATTERS ARISING FROM HIS ADDRESS. A MEMBER WHO HAS ASKED A QUESTION MAY, THE PURPOSE OF ELUCIDATION ONLY, ASK A SHORT FOLLOW-UP QUESTION. SHOW OF HANDS PLEASE.
/MR CHEUNG