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Mr Rifkind: So far as the United Kingdom is concerned our interest in Hong Kong is both an ethical obligation, a moral obligation, it is an economic interest, and it is the combination of these factors that influence our policy. I've heard it sometimes suggested at various times that the United Kingdom is simply looking to the future in terms of its relationship with China and may not give sufficient importance to the obligations it has towards Hong Kong. I want to emphasise that important though our economic links with China are, they are modest in comparison with our economic interests in Hong Kong. Whether measured by the level of trade or the level of investment, our economic involvement in Hong Kong, which will continue long after 1997, is infinitely greater even than our interest in terms of our economic relationship with China. And therefore Hong Kong's success is not just a matter of theoretical interest or political interest, there is also a fundamental economic interest that we share with the people of Hong Kong and therefore which influences our actions.
Question: I suppose the question still remains: is that economic interest, to one extent or another, greater than or of primary importance over the political?
Mr Rifkind: I can't make a valid comparison of that kind. They are both fundamental aspects of our thinking and it so happens they compliment each other. It is not necessary to make that choice.
Question: Mr Foreign Secretary, you said the Chief Executive should inspire confidence, especially in the civil servants. Do you think that the post should then go to a civil servant?
Mr Rifkind: I'm not going to try and speculate publicly what the precise criteria should be. I don't think that would be helpful, frankly. I think we can properly indicate both privately and publicly that the person chosen must be someone who is acceptable to the civil service in Hong Kong and inspires confidence amongst the wider public. People will have a fairly clear idea of what that points towards but I'm not going to speculate, myself, on the precise detail.
Question: If I could follow up on Paul's question earlier. You seem to leave open the possibility that if China goes ahead and dismantles LegCo, Britain would pursue a symbolic gesture such as an appeal to the World Court for instance, if that's indeed the case. Is that the case?
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