XN000022-1986-10-12 — Page 26

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QUESTION: ACCORDING TO WHAT SIR GEOFFREY JUST SAID ON THE POINT OF CONVERGENCE IN HONG KONG, SO HOW CAN YOU ENSURE THAT CONVERGENCE CAN BE ACHIEVED? DO YOU SAY THERE IS ENOUGH LIAISON BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS ON CONVERGENCE?

SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, I HAVE ALREADY ANSWERED THAT, DIDN'T I?

I WILL COME BACK TO MAKE THE SAME POINT. CONVERGENCE IS ONLY ONE OF MANY WORDS IN WHICH YOU CAN EXPRESS PART OF THE PROCESS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997, AND MANY PEOPLE ARE WORKING IN THE DIFFERENT WAYS I'VE DESCRIBED TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS ACHIEVED THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP: THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE CONTACTS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS, AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND AT DIFFERENT LEVELS - ALL THESE WAYS ARE IMPORTANT.

QUESTION: BUT MY QUESTION IS WHETHER THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ARE ENOUGH AT THIS STAGE NOW?

THAT IS THE

SIR GEOFFREY: I AM SURE THAT THERE IS VERY CLOSE, CONTINUING AND SUBSTANTIAL LIAISON TAKING PLACE IN THE WAYS THAT I'VE DESCRIBED. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT SHOULD CONTINUE. IMPRESSON THAT ONE HAS FORMED FROM THE AGREEMENT SO FAR REACHED WHICH I REFERRED TO IN MY STATEMENT. THAT LIAISON IS PROVING USEFUL AND IMPORTANT.

THAT DOES SUGGEST

QUESTION: SIR GEOFFREY, IS IT THE VIEW, THE POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT SHOULD THERE BE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 THAT HONG KONG CAN HAVE DIRECT ELECTION, AND IS THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PREPARED FOR THE EVENTUALITY THAT PUBLIC OPINION AND PEKING'S WISHES MAY NOT CONVERGE ON THE MATTER OF DIRECT ELECTION IN 19887

SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, WE SHALL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE CONSULTATION THAT IS TAKING PLACE AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THAT TIME. THERE IS A WHOLE RANGE OF CONTACTS AND CONSULTATION TAKING PLACE. AS I SAY

AS I SAY, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO BE ALIVE AT ALL TIMES, NOT ONLY TO THE CONCERNS AND VIEWS OF EACH OTHER, BUT ALSO TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

QUESTION: TO DEVIATE FROM THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG JUST FOR

A SHORT SPELL, THE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS TO YOU, SIR, IS THAT WHETHER YOU WOULD CONSULT WITH THE PEKING LEADERSHIP ON THE CONSIDERED NUCLEAR POLICY WHICH I THINK IS RATHER DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD?

SIR GEOFFREY: YOU'RE TALKING NOW ABOUT..

QUESTION: THE CONSERVATIVES HAVE REAFFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO A NUCLEAR BRITAIN WHICH IS RATHER DIFFERENT FROM THE LABOUR STAND WHICH IS UNILATERAL DISARMAMENT.

LIR GRIPER :I: