SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1993
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GOVERNOR HOPES FOR SINCERITY ON BOTH SIDES
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, EXPRESSED HIS HOPE THIS (SATURDAY) MORNING THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE WARS OF WORDS BUT A SINCERE EFFORT ON BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES TO REACH AGREEMENT IF THAT WAS POSSIBLE.
ASKED BY THE MEDIA AFTER THE OPENING OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FESTIVAL TO COMMENT ON THE STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE YESTERDAY, MR PATTEN SAID: "I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS VERY HELPFUL IF WE GET INTO A WAR OF WORDS.
"I DON'T HONESTLY THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT. WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO IS TO DISCUSS MATTERS COOLLY AND CALMLY AND TRY WHERE POSSIBLE TO REACH AGREEMENT AND WHERE WE CAN'T REACH AGREEMENT, CARRY ON IN A CIVILISED WAY AS WE CAN MANAGE.
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STRESSING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO GET DEEPLY INVOLVED IN
NEGOTIATIONS DETAILS OF THE
THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE SO
THE FAR, GOVERNOR SAID: 'HOWEVER, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT I THINK I SHOULD MAKE ABOUT THE STATEMENT THAT THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE PUT OUT.
IT
HE SAID THE FIRST WAS A VERY PARTIAL ACCOUNT
OF WHAT HAD
HAPPENED.
WERE MAKING
"IT IS PERFECTLY TRUE THAT WE LOOKED AS THOUGH WE PROGESS IN THE 15TH ROUND AND THAT IS WHAT I WAS ABLE TO REPORT то THE CABINET COMMITTEE," THE GOVERNOR SAID.
"UNFORTUNATELY, THINGS WENT BACKWARD AFTER THAT AND THE CHINESE SIDE MOVED AWAY FROM THE POSITION THAT THEY'D TAKEN IN THE 15TH ROUND.
"IT'S SAD BUT OUR OPTIMISM DRAINED AWAY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKED THEMSELVES THE QUESTION WHY THINGS WERE SAID IN THE 15TH ROUND WHICH WERE THEN TAKEN AWAY IN THE 16TH AND 17TH ROUNDS OR CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY.
"
COUNCIL'S
HAVE
ON THE SECOND POINT ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE
ROLE, MR PATTEN SAID: "WE ALL KNOW THAT WITH BRITISH SOVEREIGN NOW, CHINA SOVEREIGN IN THE FUTURE, IT'S STILL THE CASE THAT WE
OUR UNDER PRESENT CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS A LEGISLATURE ΤΟ WHICH THE EXECUTIVE IS RESPONSIBLE AND A LEGISLATURE WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENACTING BILLS, FOR ENACTING LEGISLATION NOT LEAST OUR ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS.
1997 NOR
"SO, THE SIMPLE MESSAGE IS THIS THAT NEITHER BEFORE AFTER 1997 CAN THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE EXPECT ΤΟ HAVE A RUBBER STAMP LEGISLATURE.
"I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WANT AND I DON'T THINK THAT IS WHAT ANYONE SHOULD WANT,“
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