XN000022-1984-02-24 — Page 2

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1984

MINISTER TO HEAR FIRST HAND ABOUT HK

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THE FORTHCOMING VISIT BY MR RICHARD LUCE, MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, WILL GIVE HIM A CHANCE OF HEARING AT FIRST HAND THE PRESENT STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM PEKING AFTER ATTENDING ANOTHER TWO DAYS OF SINO-BRITISH TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WOULD BE HOLDING DISCUSSIONS WITH MR LUCE OVER THE WEEKEND.

+HE WILL BE MEETING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS, HE SAID.

+SIR RICHARD EVANS, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO PEKING, IS COMING DOWN TOMORROW, AND HE'S NOW GOING TO STAY UNTIL MONDAY.

+SO HE WILL BE WITH US AT THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

+THIS WILL GIVE ME, AND THE OTHER PEOPLE HERE, AND MR LUCE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE POSITION,+ HE SAID.

ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE INTENTION TO INTRODUCE A MOTION IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR A DEBATE ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG BEFORE ANY FINAL AGREEMENT IS REACHED, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE UNOFFICIALS HAD SPOKEN TO HIM ABOUT IT.

+1 MUST LEAVE IT :O THEM TO COMMENT ON THEIR MOTION,+ HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD WAS MET AT THE AIRPORT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR PHILIP HADDON-CAVE, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ROGER LOBO, AND THE VICE CHIEF EDITOR OF THE XINHUA NEWS AGENCY (HONG KONG BRANCH), MR TAN GAN.

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PLAN TO PROMOTE HK AS ARBITRATION CENTRE

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LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS ARE PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNMENT AIMED AT PROMOTING HONG KONG AS AN ARBITRATION CENTRE AND ENABLING ITS ARBITRAL PROCESS TO MEET COMMERCIAL EXPECTATIONS.

ONE OF THE SHORTCOMINGS IN THE PRESENT LAW IS THE ABSENCE OF A PROVISION TO APPOINT AN ARBITRATOR IN DEFAULT OF AN APPOINTMENT, OR A CONCURRENCE IN AN APPOINTMENT, BY ONE OF THE PARTIES OR AN ARBITRATOR.

IN SOME SITUATIONS, AN ARBITRATION MAY BE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SUCH POWER.

/UNDER THE