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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1993
ISSUES, THE THE THROUGH- HAVEN'T EVEN EXCEPTION OF
GOVERNOR: I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE WILL HAVE AN 18TH ROUND OF THE TALKS. AS WE'VE SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN, THE MAIN REASON FOR THE DECISION THAT WE TOOK ΤΟ INTRODUCE A BILL DEALING WITH WHAT I THINK ARE GENERALLY RECOGNISED AS THE SIMPLE AND STRAIGHT-FORWARD ISSUES WAS SO THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME TO DEAL WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL ELECTION COMMITTEE, THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND TRAIN. UNFORTUNATELY, AFTER 17 ROUNDS OF TALKS, WE REACHED AGREEMENT ON VERY MUCH AT ALL, ALMOST WITH THE THE VOTING AGE. BUT, NEVERTHELESS, WE WANT TO GIVE TALKS LONGER CHANCE OF SUCCEEDING AND WE WILL NEVER BE IN A POSITION OF WALKING AWAY FROM THE NEGOTIATING TABLE. IT WAS OUR IDEA THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TALKS. WE PRESSED FOR TALKS FROM OCTOBER 1992 AND I STILL LIKE TO SEE TALKS LEAD TO AN AGREEMENT BUT NOT, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, AT ANY PRICE.
QUESTION: BUT DO YOU ADMIT THAT THE LONG PERIOD OF SILENCE FROM CHINA IS A BAD SIGN FOR HOPES OF ROUND 18?
GOVERNOR: THERE IS AN EXPRESSION WHILE THERE'S LIFE THERE'S HOPE, AND I'LL GO ON HOPING. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE REALISTIC AS WELL, WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO ARRANGE THE ELECTIONS. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S UNDER ANY ILLUSIONS THAT THE TIME PRESSURES ON US ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE INTENSE. WE DON'T MAKE IT UP. YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL KNOWS IT'S TRUE. SO WE HAVE TO CARRY ON WITH OUR RESPONSIBILITIES BUT WE'RF ALWAYS THERE, ALWAYS PREPARED TO TALK, ALWAYS PREPARED TO NEGOTIATE. DURING THE TALKS AND NEGOTIATIONS, WE OFFERED A NUMBER OF CONCESSTONS CONDITIONALLY. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY FEELS THAT WAS RECIPROCATED WHOLE-HEARTEDLY.
QUESTION: THE PWC IS GOING TO FIND ITS OWN WAY IN FORMING THE FIRST LEGCO AFTER 1997. HOW CAN PEOPLE HERE BE ASSURED OF THE CREDITABILITY OF THEIR LEGCO IF THE CHANCES ARE IT WON'T LAST BEYOND THE CHINESE TAKEOVER?
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GOVERNOR: I'M SURE THAT THE PROPOSALS THAT EMERGED FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHICH IS FIRMLY ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A CREDIBLE INSTITUTION, WILL ENJOY THE SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IF THOSE PROPOSALS EMERGED WITHOUT AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WILL MEAN THAT THEY WOULD NECESSARILY BE OVERTURNED IN 1997 BECAUSE I'M SURE THAT WE'LL PRODUCE A LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH IS VERY BROADLY BALANCED. I THINK THAT IT IS VERY ODD FOR SOME CHINESE OFFICIALS TO SAY WE SHOULD DISMISS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HERE, THAT WE SHOULDN'T TAKE ANY NOTICE OF IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS A CREDIBLE INSTITUTION WHICH HAS BEEN VOTED FOR BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND YET ON THE OTHER SIDE, THEY SAY THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF THE PWC WHICH I DON'T THINK ANYBODY BELIEVES HAS THE SAME CREDIBILITY AS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BUT I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THESE THINGS AMICABLY. AND THAT IS, I THINK, WHAT HERE WANTS TO SEE AS WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.
EVERYBODY
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