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Question: Why does it only last for eight months? Is it because he is not the one who is accepted by both the Chinese and British Governments for transition?
Governor: He's accepted an extension for eight months because that's what suited him and that's what suited us.
Question: (on reports about the Governor visiting the States in May)
Governor: If I were to go the United States in May, it wouldn't be an unusual move on my part because I went to the United States in May in 1993 and I think that was generally regarded as a successful visit. We were at the time lobbying and lobbying hard for the extension, renewal of MFN and we lobbied successfully for that. So if I were to go again, it would have a similar purpose. I think it's important for senior officials in the Hong Kong Government to go to the United States and to our other friends from time to time to tell them of our confidence in the future, to tell them what Hong Kong is going to be able to achieve in the future. There's the extra reason for going to the United States because of MFN which is important to Hong Kong as it is important to the US and China.
Question: I'm sure you read a lot of news about the PLA who is going to be stationed in Hong Kong after 1997. What is your initial impression?
Governor: My initial feeling is that nobody has ever in three and a half years asked me, so far as I can recall, a single question about the British garrison, which I take to be a very good sign and I hope that nobody has to ask me or the Chief Executive questions about the garrison in future. The position is made explicit and clear in the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law under which the sovereign has of course the right to have a garrison in Hong Kong. That is made abundantly plain that that garrison doesn't interfere with local affairs and that its members are subject to Hong Kong laws like everybody else. So the confirmation of that doesn't come to us as a surprise. We would be surprised if anything else was going to be happening. It's also worth recalling that when we agreed on the future of defence lands in 1994, there was an explicit statement in that agreement that those defence lands used by the garrison after 1997 rather than returned for development to the Government and people of Hong Kong would be used solely for defence purposes. So to have that reaffirmed is again. an important factor this week. I'm sure that if there're any concerns and doubts, and some have been expressed, that Chinese officials and the PLA will want to move to deal with them and to ensure maximum confidence because people do want to be satisfied that just as today they don't have to ask the Governor questions about the garrison so in future they don't feel under any obligation to ask the Chief Executive questions about the garrison.
Question: The extension for eight months for TL Yang. Is it ... to allow you and the SAR Chief Executive Designate to discuss the replacement for Sir TL?