XN000022-1984-11-30 — Page 2

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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1984

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REPORT SHOWS 'ACCEPTANCE WITH SOME CONCERNS' GOVERNOR

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THE PATTERN OF REACTION TO THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG IS ONE OF GENERAL ACCEPTANCE WITH SOME CONCERNS WHICH PEOPLE WANT CONSIDERED, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

+THAT COMES THROUGH VERY FULLY IN THE ASSESSMENT REPORT AND ALL THOSE POINTS WERE SET OUT, THINK, VERY FRANKLY AND SUCCESSFULLY IN IT,+ HE TOLD REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE CALTEX OIL TSING YI TERMINAL BUILDING,

SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING THINGS WAS THAT ALL THE TESTS, REPORTS, AND SURVEYS ON THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE DRAFT AGREEMENT WERE SHOWING THE SAME PATTERN.

HE DESCRIBED THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE REPORT AS A +VERY GOOD AND VERY COMPREHENSIVE REPORT+.

ON CONCERN EXPRESSED TO THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE OVER THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, SIR EDWARD SAID HE WAS SURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD WANT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS AND ENSURE THAT THEY WERE REFLECTED IN THAT DRAFT.

+THE ACTUAL DRAFTING PROCESS IS A MATTER ESSENTIALLY FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, BUT THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THINK, AND I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN AS FULLY AND COMPREHENSIVELY AS THEY DID WHEN WE WERE NEGOTIATING THE AGREEMENT, HE SAID.

ON WORRIES OVER THE FUTURE STATUS OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITOR IES CITIZENS, SIR EDWARD SAID THERE WAS A CLEAR STATEMENT IN THE AGREEMENT ON WHAT WAS BEING PLANNED.

FOR.

+THE BTDC'S WILL HAVE ANOTHER STATUS WHICH THEY CAN APPLY

+GIVEN THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION, I THINK THAT IS A VERY PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENT, HE SAID.

ASKED WHETHER HE WOULD TRY TO PERSUADE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND PARLIAMENT FOR FULLER ASSURANCES OVER THE FUTURE OF BTDC'S, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE ASSURANCES WERE ALREADY THERE AS TO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.

+THE EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA STATE QUITE CLEARLY WHAT THE SITUATION WILL BE.

+BUT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT, AS YOU KNOW, WILL SAY EXACTLY WHAT IT WANTS TO SAY AND WHAT WE SHALL BE DOING IS TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND WHAT THEY WANT TO BE DONE, HE SAID.

/REPLYING TO