TURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1993
3
J
FOR
THE THE
GOVERNOR
FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE ASKED ONCE AGAIN TODAY CONFIRMATION FROM THE CHINESE SIDE OF AGREEMENT ON THE DATES FOR 18TH ROUND OF TALKS. WE ARE IN THE POSITION IN WHICH WE WANT TALKS ΤΟ CONTINUE. AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE GAZETTED THE PARTIAL LEGISLATION ON NON-CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES AND THE REASON WHY WE WILL BE INTRODUCING IT INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW IS PRECISELY IN ORDER TO GIVE OURSELVES MORE TIME TO DISCUSS MATTERS LIKE THE THROUGH TRAIN, LIKE THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, THE CHINESE SIDE KNOW THAT PERFECTLY WELL. THEY KNOW PERFECTLY WELL THAT WE HAD TO START LEGISLATING ON THE MORE STRAIGHT FORWARD ISSUES AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER. THEY KNOW WHAT THE TIMING IS. THEY KNOW THAT WE WANT TO GO ON TALKING. WE'RE GOING PATIENTLY TO GO ON ASKING FOR AN 18TH ROUND OF TALKS. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHO YOU SEE TODAY ARE HAPPILY PREPARING FOR CHRISTMAS, NO SIGNS OF TURMOIL IN HONG KONG, LOTS OF SIGNS OF PEOPLE SHOPPING HAPPILY FOR A PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS.
QUESTION : IS THERE ANY TRANSITIONAL PROBLEM WITH THE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND URBAN COUNCIL MEMBERS ?
A
GOVERNOR : I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT IF ONE IS KEEN ON SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THE LONG TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG THAT ONE SHOULD MAKE SURPRISING THREATS TO MEMBERS OF DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS. AFTER ALL AS SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE POINTED OUT, NOT LEAST THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, TO TAKE THE MEASURES WHICH APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN PROPOSED BY SOME CHINESE OFFICIALS WOULD HAVE NO BASIS IN THE BASIC LAW. SO I THINK RATHER THAN MAKE THOSE SORTS OF REMARKS WE SHOULD ALL WORK SUCCESSFULLY FOR A PEACEFUL TRANSITION. IF THERE ARE SOMETHINGS ABOUT WHICH WE CAN'T AGREE, THAT MEANS THAT WE SHOULD COOPERATE EVEN MORE ENTHUSIASTICALLY ON THE MAJORITY OF THINGS ON WHICH WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO AGREE IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
QUESTION:
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE CIVIL SERVANTS JOINING THE PWC?
IN
GOVERNOR: I THINK AS A NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS HAVE POINTED OUT THIS MORNING, WE HAVE EXISTING CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS, ABOVE ALL THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP BUT ALSO THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE. WE WANT TO SEE THOSE MECHANISMS WORKING SUCCESSFULLY. THE PWC ARE A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN PEKING, I THINK HAND-CHOSEN BY THE GOVERNMENT IN PEKING. I VERY MUCH HOPE THEY WILL TELL PEKING WHAT LIFE IS REALLY LIKE IN HONG KONG; HOW SUCCESSFUL AND PROSPEROUS AND STABLE WE ARE HONG KONG. IF THEY WANT INFORMATION, LIKE ANY OTHER GROUP IN THE COMMUNITY, I AM SURE THE GOVERNMENT, SINCE IT BELIEVES IN INFORMED PUBLIC DEBATE, WILL LET THEM HAVE THE INFORMATION. BUT WE DO THAT WITH OTHER GROUPS AND WE TREAT THE PWC EXACTLY THE SAME. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PWC WILL, AS I SAY, GIVE THE TRUTH TO PEKING ABOUT WHAT LIFE IS LIKE IN HONG KONG. I HOPE THEY'LL POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN HONG KONG, THAT WE HAVE A GOOD VIGOROUS DEBATE, THINGS WHICH ARE GUARANTEED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, A DOCUMENT WHICH I COMMEND TO THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY.
QUESTION:
SHOULD CHINA AGREE ON ANOTHER ROUND OF TALK, SHOULD WE CONCEIVABLY CHANGE TOMORROW'S LEGISLATION AGENDA?
/GOVERNOR