WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1993
2
GOVERNOR: WELL, IF I LOOK BACK NOT JUST ON THE LAST 18 MONTHS BUT ON A RATHER LONGER PERIOD, I AM NOT OVERWHELMED BY A FEELING THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN A VERY CO-OPERATIVE ATMOSPHERE, UNFORTUNATELY. I STILL FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IT WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IF WE COULD CO-OPERATE OVER THAT VAST RANGE OF ISSUES ON WHICH THERE SHOULD BE NO CONTROVERSY WHATSOEVER. IT'S CERTAINLY TRUE, FOR EXAMPLE, OF THE GREAT MAJORITY OF JOINT LIAISON GROUP ISSUES, MATTERS WHICH ARE ONCR OF TECHNICAL DETAILS, MATTERS WHICH ARE ADMINISTRATIVE RATHER THAN POLITICAL. ALL OF MATTERS WHICH ALL THOSE INTERESTED IN THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY HONG KONG SHOULD AGREE TO WORK ON TOGETHER. I REPEAT WHAT I'VE SAID BEFORE, THAT IF WE DISAGREE ON ONE OR TWO THINGS ALTHOUGH THEY ARE IMPORTANT, IT SHOULDN'T MEAN WE DISAGREE ON EVERYTHING. WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CO-OPERATE IN THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THAT'S WHAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THAT'S WHAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE ΤΟ TRY TO DO. OVER THE LAST YEAR WHEN SOMETIMES THE NUMBER OF ADJECTIVES PER HOUR HAS BEEN PRETTY HIGH, WE'VE NEVERTHELESS MANAGED TO SECURE CONTINUING GROWTH AND PROGRESS IN HONG KONG'S ECONOMY. IT REMAINS ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD. WE'VE SEEN INCREASE IN INVESTOR CONFIDENCE IN OUR FUTURE AND I AM SURE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE AND ORDINARY FAMILIES IN HONG KONG UNTROUBLED WILL PREPARE, AS I AM SURE YOU ARE, FOR A HAPPY CHRISTMAS, BY TURMOIL, CHAOS OR ANY OF THE OTHER SLIGHTLY STRANGE DESCRIPTIONS OF LIFE IN HONG KONG WHICH WE HEAR FROM TIME TO TIME.
+
. QUESTION:
MR PATTEN,
PWC
. ARE YOU CONCERNED
ABOUT THINGS
TO ORGANISE ITS OWN ELECTIONS WHICH WILL BE HELD THE INSTANT YOU LEAVE HONG KONG?
GOVERNOR: NO, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE VERY BAD FOR THE CREDIBILITY OR AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG IF WE APPEAR TO PUT IN PLACE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WERE NOT FAIR AND WOULD NOT GUARANTEE ΤΟ GIVE US A CREDIBLE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OR CREDIBLE DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS IN THE YEARS AHEAD. THAT WOULD UNDERMINE OUR CREDIBILITY OR AUTHORITY. I DON'T BELIEVE FOR ONE MOMENT THAT CHINA WOULD WANT AS A FIRST ACT OF SOVERIGHTY AFTER 1ST JULY 1997 TO TURF OUT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WHO'VE FLECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I WOULD NOT HAVE THOUGHT THAT A VERY SENSIBLE WAY TO TRY TO WIN HEARTS AND MINDS.
BEEN
WAS
AND
QUESTION; SIR, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE HAD MADE CREDIBILITY HONORARY RETREAT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE THROUGH TRAIN FOR THE THREE TIERS ELECTORAL
ARRANGEMENTS?
THE
THE
GOVERNOR: I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN BY THE THREE TIERS OF THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHERE A THROUGH TRAIN FOR DISTRICT ORGANISATIONS FITS IN RELATION TO THE BASIC LAW. I THINK ANSWER IS NOWHERE BUT WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO SEE A THROUGH TRAIN. WE WON'T DO ANYTHING WHICH TEARS UP THE RAILWAY LINES AND I HOPE CHINESE SIDE WON'T TEAR UP THE RAILWAY LINES EITHER. I HAVE TO THAT DURING 17TH ROUND OF TALKS, WE WERE, ALAS, AWARE OF QUITE A BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE THROUGH TRAIN AND THAT WASN'T BECAUSE WERE SUGGESTING THINGS THAT WERE UNREASONABLE BUT I THINK THERE ARE QUESTIONS TO ASK THE CHINESE SIDE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO ABOUT THE THROUGH TRAIN, AT WHICH MOMENT, AFTER THE LAST QUESTION.
QUESTION : GOVERNOR PATTEN, DO YOU HAVE A TOUGH JOB GET YOUR PROPOSALS THROUGH LEGCO?
SAY
GAP
WE
TRYING TO
/GOVERNOR