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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1994
GOVERNOR:
SINCE THOSE STATEMENTS WERE MADE THERE HAS BEEN A COMPLETE CHANGE IN THE TEAM. I THINK I AM RIGHT IN SAYING THAT YESTERDAY MR BLAIR ANNOUNCED THE APPOINTMENTS OF SHADOW MINISTERS OUTSIDE THE RANKS OF THE SHADOW CABINET AND THAT TWO WOMEN HAVE BEEN APPOINTED: ANN CLWYD, WHO IS A GREAT EXPERT ON OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, AND JOYCE QUIN WHO, WHEN I WAS IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, WAS PRINCIPALLY KNOWN FOR HER CHAMPIONSHIP OF CONSUMER PROTECTION ISSUES, AND THEY WILL WELCOME HER TO THE WORLD OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
I HAVE WRITTEN TO ROBIN TO SAY THAT I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE ΤΟ SEE HIM AT HIS CONVENIENCE, SUGGESTING THAT HE MIGHT FIND IT EASIER DURING MY VISIT TO LONDON AT THE END OF JANUARY. I THOUGHT IT WAS PERHAPS PRESUMPTUOUS TO ASSUME THAT, WITHIN HIS FIRST WEEK, HE WOULD WANT TO SEE ME. I HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE WILL ALWAYS BE HAPPY TO WELCOME HIM OR ANY OF HIS COLLEAGUES TO HONG KONG. I HOPE THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO SEE HIM WHEN I COME BACK IN JANUARY AND, AS EVER, IF TONY BLAIR WANTS A BRIEFING AS WELL, I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO PROVIDE HIM WITH IT.
JACK CUNNINGHAM WAS A GREAT SUPPORTER OF HONG KONG, NOT JUST IN HIS RESPONSIBILITY AS A SHADOW FOREIGN SECRETARY, BUT FOR MANY YEARS EVER SINCE HE FIRST VISITED HONG KONG IN THE EARLY 1970S WITH TOM PENDRY. I WISH HIM THE BEST IN HIS NEW RESPONSIBILITIES AS SHADOW TRADE AND INDUSTRY SPOKESMAN.
I REPEAT: IT IS A NEW TEAM. I WILL BE DELIGHTED TO MEET THEM AND BRIEF THEM WHENEVER THEY WOULD LIKE. I DO NOT KNOW WHICH OF THE TWO NON-SHADOW CABINET MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WILL HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG YET, BUT WHICHEVER OF THEM IT IS, I HOPE WE WILL BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM EVERY ASSISTANCE.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WHILE INEVITABLY FROM TIME TO TIME THERE WILL BE CRITICISMS AT WESTMINSTER ON THIS OR THAT ASPECT OF POLICY, THERE HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE DEGREE OF CROSS-PARTY SUPPORT FOR US IN HONG KONG. THAT IS MANIFEST AT THINGS LIKE MEETINGS OF THE HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP WHICH I ADDRESSED YESTERDAY. IT IS MANIFEST AT OCCASIONS LIKE THE TDC DINNER YESTERDAY, AND I HOPE IT WILL CONTINUE, WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL IF HONG KONG BECAME A VERY CONTENTIOUS ISSUE WESTMINSTER, PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST, INEVITABLY DIFFICULT, TWO AND A HALF YEARS. WE ARE TRYING TO HAND OVER A PRICELESS OBJECT AND IT WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT IF PEOPLE WERE JOGGING OUR ELBOW.
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YOU HAVE STRESSED
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QUESTION:
AN HONOURABLE DEPARTURE FROM HONG KONG, HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE AN HONOURABLE DEPARTURE? DO YOU THINK THAT
AFTER 1997, AND IF THERE IS AN ABSENCE OF THROUGH TRAIN, IT WILL BE CONSIDERED TO BE A DISHONOURABLE DEPARTURE?
CONTEXT, IS
GOVERNOR:
AN HONOURABLE DEPARTURE, IN THE PRESENT DEFINED IN THE EXPLICIT TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. OF COURSE, THE JOINT DECLARATION IS LEGALLY AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENTS, BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND BETWEEN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AN AGREEMENT LODGED AT THE UNITED NATIONS.
/IT IS