SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1994
TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S MEDIA SESSION
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEDIA SESSION BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, AT THE KAI TAK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM LONDON THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON:
WITH ONCE
GOVERNOR: GOOD AFTERNOON. 1'VE HAD AN INTERESTING VISIT TO LONDON, ONE OF THE VISITS THAT I HAVE MADE AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE REGULARLY. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR TO KEEP MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS IN TOUCH DEVELOPMENTS HERE IN HONG KONG, BOTH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC, AND AGAIN, AS I SAID YESTERDAY IN MY PRESS CONFERENCE IN LONDON, I WAS ABLE TO DETECT VERY BROAD SUPPORT FOR THE APPROACH WHICH WE'VE BEEN TAKING IN HONG KONG AND A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN OUR SUCCESSES. I SPOKE AT SOME LENGTH TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND, ON THIS OCCASION, ON THE TELEPHONE BECAUSE HE WAS IN HIS HUNTINGDON CONSTITUENCY AFTER RETURNING FROM BELFAST FOR THE EASTER RECESS. I SPOKE TO HIM MAINLY ABOUT THE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF OUR BILL ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS EARLY IN
THE YEAR AND OUR HOPE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE то SEE EQUALLY SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF THE LAST BILL SO THAT WE CAN BED THOSE ARRANGEMENTS DOWN AND GET ON TO OTHER BUSINESS AND THAT IS THE OVERWHELMING DESIRE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I HAD A LUNCH WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY. I HAD A NUMBER OF MEETINGS WITH OTHER MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS, PARTICULARLY OF COURSE FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS AND I SAW OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS AS WELL. I HAD AN INTERESTING MEETING WITH LADY THATCHER IN WHOM I'VE BEEN IN REGULAR CONTACT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, NOT LEAST BECAUSE SHE WAS ONE OF SIGNATORIES TO THE JOINT DECLARATION AND TAKES A CLOSE CONTINUING INTEREST IN THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION HERE IN HONG KONG. AS I I SAID, THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN DEALING WITH OUR ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. THERE WAS ALSO CONSIDERABLE INTEREST
THE ISSUE OF MFN. I TOLD MINISTERS AND OFFICIALS ABOUT OUR PLANS BOTH MAKE SPEECHES AND LOBBY ON MEN HERE AND IN WASHINGTON. I TOLD ABOUT THE PLANNED VISIT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO WASHINGTON AND THE UNITED STATES LATER THIS MONTH. I TOLD THEM THAT I'LL BE SPEAKING ΤΟ THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON APRIL 22 MAINLY ABOUT MEN AND THEY ASSURED ME THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD BE LOBBYING JUST AS ENERGETICALLY AS WE ARE ON WHAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT FOR THE FUTURE ECONOMY AND WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG.
ΤΟ
THEM
PLAINLY, WHILE I'VE BEEN IN LONDON, THE MAIN STORY OF INTEREST HERE IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN THE SENTENCE ON THE MING PAO JOURNALIST XI YANG. I TOTALLY ENDORSE EVERYTHING WHICH THE CHIEF SECRETARY SAID A DAY OR TWO AGO AND I KNOW THAT SHE WAS SPEAKING VERY MUCH ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. I THINK THERE IS AN ALMOST UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF CONCERN RIGHT ACROSS THE COMMUNITY ON THIS CASE AND I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN APPALLED BY WHAT HAS HAPPENED. I JUST WANT TO MAKE ONE, HOPE,
OBVIOUS POINT THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DWELL ON AND IT IS NOT VERY HELPFUL TO GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ON IT.
/OUR MAIN