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Governor: I don't think it's a question of me sending messages. I think the messages are for the people of Hong Kong. What we've seen in the District Board Elections, in the Municipal Council Elections is many more people, hundreds of thousands more people in Hong Kong, taking the opportunity of behaving with civic consciousness and putting their own stamp on the sort of community that they want to live in. We'll see that further in the Legislative Council Elections in the autumn. I'm sure we'll have a vigorous campaign in the run up to those elections with everybody representing every point of view, including some points of view which Peking officials would find themselves in sympathy with, representing every point of view and putting those points of view before the electors, for the judgement of the electors. Now that is just an aspect of Hong Kong's maturity. The fact that it'd done on the whole in such a moderate and sensible way shouldn't surprise anybody, because this is one of the most sophisticated, well educated, prosperous, successful communities in the world. I've said earlier that that development doesn't represent a threat to anything or anybody. It doesn't represent a threat to Hong Kong's stability. Look at how stable we are and how prosperous we are today, nor does it represent a threat to anybody else's community or anybody else's stability. It's part of the maturing of this great territory. I hope that what has happened will help some people who appear not to have done so in the past to trust Hong Kong.
Question: Mr Li Peng said in his speech to the NPC that he was looking forward to Britain honouring the Joint Declaration and co-operating with China. What's your reaction to that?
Governor: We've seen the Government honouring the Joint Declaration today. This is part of what the Joint Declaration promised the people of Hong Kong. I very much hope that all of us can look forward to greater co-operation between Britain and China in the interest of Hong Kong. That's what all of us want to see. Of course, co- operation involves people grasping your hand when you put it out to them. So I trust that the Prime Minister's words will be reflected in actions and in the interest of the people of Hong Kong during the next two and a half years and beyond. I think that we've achieved a very great deal in Hong Kong. We've laid the foundations for an immensely successful future for the SAR. It's what all of us want to see. We've more likely to see it if we have positive and constructive co-operation from China in the JLG and elsewhere and I trust that we can look forward to that. I hope today will be the beginning of spring. Thank you very much.
End/Sunday, March 5, 1995