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Question: If the British side accepts all the proposals by the PWC and everything will be okay.
Question: But now still two... of the proposals not accepted by the...
Governor: I'd like you to go back and say to him: 'really?',
Question: Are you inflexible on those two points?
Governor: Those two points both contradict the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law, Since they wouldn't be operative until after 1997, I don't think that they can be points which we can take on board. But I would be interested if Mr Zhou Nan was saying those are the only two points which come between the two sides. You might ask him to confirm that.
Question: Mr Patten, yesterday, Mr Zhang Junsheng, he also warned that if the British side take the one side action, there will be no talk anymore between...
Governor: I don't want to comment on everything he says.
Question: A report saying that the Hong Kong Government had agreed to let the Chinese Government to, not intervene but give their position or join the work in drafting the 1996-97 budget. Can you confirm that report?
Governor: No. Our position is absolutely clear. We totally recognise and it's a proposal 1 put forward on behalf of the Hong Kong Government that we should involve Chinese officials in the preparation of the 1997 budget. We also believe that in order for them to discharge that responsibility effectively they will need to be walked through the budget process for this year. But they will be shown how we draw up the budget. They won't be taking part in decisions about that budget. That is absolutely clear. It's absolutely firm. It's a point that I have made. It's a point that Mrs Chan has made. It's a point that Douglas Hurd made to Qian Qichen and there is no doubt about it in our minds. I am sure there isn't any doubt about it in Chinese minds either. We are being extremely positive and constructive and I hope that Chinese officials will be too.
Question: Mr Patten back to the CFA, I mean the Hong Kong Government always state that they do not recognise the PWC. Then, why the JLG accepts some proposals made by the PWC?