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GOVERNOR MEETS REPORTERS
THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1994
FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN'S MEDIA SESSION AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES LOBBY TODAY (THURSDAY):
GOVERNOR: I'VE JUST BEEN TO THE CNTA OFFICES IN WAN CHAI TO THANK MICHAEL SUEN AND HIS STAFF, THEIR WORK IN HELPING TO COMPLETE OUR LEGISLATION ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS AND I'LL BE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THOSE TOMORROW WHO'VE BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE. AND I'VE COME DOWN TO THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT ΤΟ THANK OFFICIALS HERE FOR THE WORK WHICH THEY'VE DONE TO COMPLETE OUR WORK ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 LEGCO ELECTIONS.
QUESTION:
GOVERNOR: WELL, YESTERDAY WAS, I THINK, FOR ALL OF US A LONG DAY, A VERY LONG DAY, BUT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT DAY FOR HONG KONG AS WELL. IT ENDED ALMOST TWO YEARS OF VIGOROUS AND OFTEN PASSIONATELY FELT DEBATE ABOUT THE MODEST AND STEADY POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD. I'M GLAD THAT OUR THIRD BILL ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS WAS CARRIED YESTERDAY BY A DECISIVE MAJORITY. I AM ONLY SORRY THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CONCLUDE THE DEBATE WITH AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA, WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN THE BEST WAY FORWARD. BUT NEVERTHELESS THE DEBATE IS OVER AND WAS PLEASED THAT PEOPLE REPRESENTING EVERY SHADE OF OPINION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WERE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THAT DEBATE. NOW THAT IS BEHIND US. WE MUST MOVE ON. THAT'S A CHAPTER WHICH IS CLOSED. AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN NOW LOOK FOR AS MUCH COMMON GROUND AS POSSIBLE IN WHICH WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN CO-OPERATION, I HOPE, WITH CHINA TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ON HONG KONG'S AGENDA AND ΤΟ по EVERYTHING POSSIBLE то SECURE THE WELL-BEING AND PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF THE TERRITORY. SO I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE CAN NOW MOVE FORWARD IN CO-OPERATION WITH HONG KONG'S INTERESTS IN MIND.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE DEBATE LAST NIGHT
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QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT CHINA'S PLEDGE TO DISREGARD LEGCO'S
?
GOVERNOR: WHAT I'VE SAID ALL ALONG IS THAT WITHOUT IN ANY SENSE DENYING CHINA'S SOVEREIGNTY AFTER 1997 THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING IN PLACE SHOULD BE DISMANTLED. THEY ARE AS YOU KNOW IN LINE WITH THE BASIC LAW AS WELL AS THE JOINT DECLARATION AND Ι VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE CAN PUT THOSE ARGUMENTS BEHIND US AND GET ON WITH THE REST OF LIFE IN HONG KONG.
/QUESTION: