THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1994
1
GOVERNOR HOPEFUL OF AN AGREEMENT ON MONDAY
THE
SAID THIS
GOVERNOR, THE ᎡᎢ HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, (THURSDAY) AFTERNOON ALTHOUGH THE DEFENCE LAND ISSUE WAS COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT, HE HOPED THAT AN AGREEMENT WOULD BE REACHED ON MONDAY.
RESPONDING TO PRESS QUESTIONS AFTER OPENING THE PAMELA YOUDE NETHERSOLE EASTERN HOSPITAL, MR PATTEN SAID: "WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE DEFENCE ESTATE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS. THAT IS AN INDICATION OF HOW DIFFICULT AND COMPLEX THE ISSUES ARE.
"I THINK THAT IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN WORKING EXTREMELY HARD OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS TO TRY ΤΟ PUT AN AGREEMENT IN PLACE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
"BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN WORKING IMAGINATIVELY AND I THINK WITH A GREAT DEAL OF SINCERITY BECAUSE A GOOD SETTLEMENT IS GREATLY IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, AND THE USE OF SURPLUS LAND HERE IN HONG KONG.
THE GOVERNOR SAID THE EXPERTS NEEDED A BIT MORE TIME TO TRY TO PUT THE FINAL PIECES IN PLACE.
"I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO DO SO AND VERY MUCH HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET AN AGREEMENT ON MONDAY, HE ADDED.
ASKED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE CIVIL SERVANTS' PENSION SCHEME, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I THINK $7 BILLION IS A VERY CONSIDERABLE CONTRIBUTION AND I THINK THE COMMUNITY RECOGNISES THAT.
NOTING THAT ALL THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING IS UNDERPINNING WHAT IS ALREADY A PROMISE IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW, MR PATTEN SAID HE DID NOT THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTED THE FUTURE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT TO BREAK ITS WORDS
TO HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS.
"IT
WON'T. THE FUTURE OF THEIR PENSION IS ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED BUT BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME RESIDUAL ANXIETIES,
WE AGREED TO PUT SOME EXTRA MONEY ON THE SIDE," HE SAID.
++
"I AM CONVINCED, I AM SURE EVERYBODY IS CONVINCED, THAT MONEY WON'
·T BE NEEDED BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IN THE FUTURE WILL HONOUR ITS COMMITMENTS.
"
/2