XN000022-1985-07-12 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1985

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+I THUS WELCOME THE CITY OF LONDON, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE BRITISH INVISIBLE EXPORTS COUNCIL AND LED BY THE EARL OF LIMERICK, TO COME TO HONG KONG TO PROMOTE THESE SERVICES AND TO EXPLAIN THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY OF LONDON, HE SAID.

HONG KONG, SITUATED AS IT IS ON THE COAST OF CHINA, IN THE MIDST OF ABOUT A THIRD OF THE POPULATION ON THE WORLD IN A REGION THAT IS DEVELOPING MORE RAPIDLY THAN ANY OTHER, OFFERED IMMENSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BRITISH INVISIBLE EXPORTS INDUSTRIES.

THIS SEMINAR, HE SAID, PROVIDED A USEFUL OCCASION TO EXAMINE THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN DETAIL.

BASIC LAW NOT DB AGENDA ITEM

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THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) HE DID NOT EXPECT DISCUSSION OF THE BASIC LAW TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM OF DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS BECAUSE THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED AND THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WAS GOING TO BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG.

SIR DAVID WAS REPLYING TO QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING OF THE BRITISH INVISIBLE EXPORTS COUNCIL SEMINAR AT THE REGENT HOTEL.

+DISTRICT BOARDS IN HONG KONG ARE ENTITLED BY THEIR TERMS OF REFERENCE, OF COURSE, TO DISCUSS ANYTHING WHICH THEY THINK IS AFFECTING THE LIVES OF THE CITIZENS OF HONG KONG.+

BUT THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, AND A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WOULD ALSO BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.

+SO WHETHER OR NOT DISTRICT BOARDS WILL DISCUSS MATTERS AFFECTING THE BASIC LAW I COULDN'T SAY.+

ASKED WHETHER DISTRICT BOARDS SHOULD FORM PART OF THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE, THE ACTING GOVERNOR SAID,+ THIS IS ENTIRELY A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND FOR THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES IN HONG KONG, WHO, I BELIEVE, HAD BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COMPOSING THE CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE.+

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON THE JENKINS BILL, SIR DAVID SAID HE HOPED THE PRESENT TIDE OF OPINION AGAINST THE BILL WOULD EVENTUALLY OVERWHELM IT AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE PASSED INTO LAW.

THE BILL, IF PASSED, WOULD AFFECT HONG KONG'S EXPORT VERY SEVERELY, HE SAID.

/ASKED WHETHER