FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1986
Q. NICK BEACROFT FROM RTHK. ON OUR PROGRAMME LAST NIGHT WE HAD AN UNOFFICIAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR MR DESMOND LEE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A NUMBER OF UNOFFICIAL COUNCILLORS, SAYING THAT THEY MAY PASS A MOTION DENOUNCING THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OVER THE NATIONALITY ISSUE. I'D LIKE YOUR REACTION TO THAT. I KNOW YOU'VE GIVEN US SOME COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE NATIONALITY ISSUE, BUT I'D LIKE YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT NOW THAT LEGCO MAY ACTUALLY DENOUNCE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT?
MR RENTON WELL, THEY'RE PARLIAMENTARIANS ON LEGCO, THEY'RE REPRESENTING ALL VIEWS OF HK AS ARE PARLIAMENTARIANS IN WESTMINSTER REPRESENTING ALL VIEWS AND IT'S UP TO THEM, INDIVIDUAL PARLIAMENT- ARIANS, TO EXPRESS THE OPINIONS THAT THEY WANT TO, THAT AFTER ALL BE IT IN HK, BE IT IN WESTMINSTER, IS THE BENEFIT OF THE FREE SOCIETY IN WHICH WE ALL LIVE. I MUST CONFESS THOUGH THAT FROM THE ATMOSPHERE THAT I FOUND IN LEGCO YESTERDAY WITH THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS I WOULD BE VERY SURPRISED IF THIS HAPPENED. I FOUND A
A... OBVIOUSLY INTERESTED RECEPTION, A CONCERNED RECEPTION, THAT LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY TO WHAT I HAD TO SAY AND THE STATEMENT THAT I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU, AND MY OWN VIEW IS THAT IT SHOWS WHAT WE'VE SAID ALL ALONG, THAT MINISTERS IN LONDON DO NOT HAVE CLOSED MINDS ON THESE ISSUES. WE ARE LISTENING AND I WOULD HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE STATEMENT OF MINE WAS MUCH WELCOMED BY THE UNOFFICIALS AND THAT THEY WILL NOW BE WAITING TO SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT COMES OUT OF THE TEAM OF OFFICIALS GOING TO LONDON WHO ARE GOING TO TALK MORE, OBVIOUSLY, ABOUT THE WORDING OF THE ENDORSEMENT, ALL OF THESE THINGS LIE AHEAD OF US. I FOUND A VERY INTERESTED AND DARE I SAY FRIENDLY RECEPTION FROM UNOFFICIALS LAST NIGHT.
NICK BEACROFT IS THERE A DANGER THOUGH THAT AN ANTI-BRITISH FEELING IS BUILDING UP IN HK?
MR RENTON WELL, YOU'RE THE HONGKONGERS.
(INTERJECTION FROM N, BEACROFT)
THAT I DON'T SEE IT MYSELF AT ALL.
YOU CAN TELL ME BETTER
I WOULD JUST MAKE THE POINT
Q. I HAVE A QUESTION IN CHINESE. (TRANSLATOR): I'M FROM COMMERCIAL RADIO. WHEN YOU LAST VISITED HK YOU SAID THAT BRITAIN WILL IN FUTURE PLAY AN ADVISORY ROLE IN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN HK. IS THIS STILL THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S STAND AND IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT... WHAT IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S VIEW ON THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF H.E.'S POSITION AND THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN RK?
MR RENTON : I'M VERY SORRY. I DIDN'T CATCH MOST OF THAT IN TRANSLATION. WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO GIVE IT TO ME IN ENGLISH? I DO APOLOGISE. I DON'T THINK THIS ONE IS WORKING. WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO GIVE ME THAT QUESTION ... YES.
COMMERCIAL RADIO ENGLISH: WE WERE ASKING THAT LAST TIME, DURING YOUR VISIT HERE, YOU SAID THAT BRITAIN WILL NOT REALLY TAKE THE ACTIVE ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HK, PARTICULARLY THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT. IS THE BRITISH STAND STILL THE SAME NOW?
/MR RENTON :
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