XN000022-1984-09-27 — Page 14

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1984

+AND FINALLY. LET ME REMIND YOU OF THE SUMMING UP WHICH I MADE IN THAT STATEMENT. I SAID THAT THE AGREEMENT IS AN AGREEMENT WHICH TAKES ACCOUNT OF HONG KONG'S NEEDS AND OF THE REALITIES OF HISTORY. IT FORSEES THAT CHANGE MUST COME BUT IN PROVIDING FOR THAT CHANGE IT PROVIDES ALSO FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN OUR SOCIETY, IN AS FAR AS IT IS POSSIBLE FOR GOVERNMENTS TODAY TO PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURE IT REMOVES THE

IT UNCERTAINTY WHICH EXISTED BECAUSE OF THE 1997 DEADLINE. CONSTITUTES A BLUEPRINT FOR A NEW STAGE IN HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT AND, AS SUCH, I COMMENDED IT TO THE COMMUNITY AND I EXPRESSED MY FIRM CONVICTION THAT WITH THEIR WIDELY RECOGNISED ABILITY TO ADAPT TO CHANGE AND TO RESPOND TO OPPORTUNITY THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG COULD MAKE IT WORK AND COULD BUILD FOR THEMSELVES A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE.

+THOSE WERE THE MAIN POINTS WHICH I MADE LAST NIGHT AND I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THEM AGAIN TODAY.+

FOLLOWING ARE THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

Q. NICK BEACROFT, RTHK:

REFERRING TO THE WHITE PAPER, SIR EDWARD, THEY SAY THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT SAYS THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF AN AMENDED AGREEMENT AND THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRESENT AGREEMENT IS TO HAVE NO AGREEMENT AT ALL.

THEREFORE, WHY BOTHER TO HAVE AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE? IS IT LIKE SOME LABOUR MP'S HAVE SAID, WHO HAVE VISITED THE TERRITORY, JUST 'WINDOW DRESSING'.

A. THE REASON FOR HAVING AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE IS VERY SIMPLE. IT IS, THAT IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN STATED THAT THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO FIND AN AGREEMENT WHICH WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. IT IS, THEREFORE, IN MY MIND ESSENTIAL TO BE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STATE THE IR VIEW ON THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE AGREEMENT, AS A WHOLE. AND THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE IS A VERY GOOD WAY OF GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. I CANNOT THINK WHY ANYBODY WOULD WISH TO DENY THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.

Q.

AND IF THEY SAY 'NO', WHAT WILL HAPPEN?

A.

I COMMENDED THE AGREEMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS A GOOD AGREEMENT, AND IT IS AN AGREEMENT WHICH I BELIEVE THEY WILL FIND ACCEPTABLE. SO, THE QUESTION IS HYPOTHETICAL.

Q.

23

JIM BIDDULPH, BBC: COULD I PURSUE THIS? WHAT IF PEOPLE SAYI IT'S NOT AGREEABLE? IF YOU SAY IT'S HYPOTHETICAL. BUT SURELY YOU HAVE GIVEN THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY 'YES, OR NO". WHAT F THEY SAY "NO"?

/A. WELL