XN000022-1986-10-12 — Page 30

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AWAIT THE OUTCOME BEFORE ONE TAKES THE MATTER ANY FURTHER. I COME BACK, IF I MAY, TO THE LUCID AND IMPORTANT WAY IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR EXPRESSED THE RIGHT APPROACH TO THIS. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL BE ALIVE AT ALL TIMES TO THE CONCERNS AND VIEWS OF THE OTHER AS WELL AS TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND THAT IS THE WAY IN WHICH IT WILL BE APPROACHED.

QUESTION:

THE QUESTION WAS, HAS THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MADE IT CLEAR TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THAT THEY DISAPPROVE OF DIRECT ELECTIONS.

SIR GEOFFREY: IT'S NOT FOR ME TO COMMENT ON THE VIEWS OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT TO DRAW THE CONCLUSION IMPLIED IN YOUR QUESTION.

REPORTER: (QUESTION UNCLEAR)

SIR GEOFFREY: I'VE SAID IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT FOR ANYONE TO DRAW THE CONCLUSIONS IMPLIED IN THE QUESTION. WE SHALL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE REVIEW AND THE DECISIONS TAKEN AT THAT TIME IN LIGHT OF THE PRINCIPLES I'VE ENUNCIATED.

QUESTION: THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CAN VETO DIRECT ELECTIONS THROUGH THE BASIC LAW. HAS THE UK GOVERNMENT GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO VETO DIRECT ELECTIONS EVEN THOUGH THE HONG KONG PEOPLE MAY SAY THEY WANT THEM?

SIR GEOFFREY: THERE ARE TWO PROCESSES TAKING PLACE CURRENTLY - ONE THE CONDUCT OF THE 1987 REVIEW, THE OTHER THE PREPARATION WITHIN THE AMBIT OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE OF THE BASIC LAW. THAT INCIDENTALLY, OF COURSE IS CONCERNED WITH A RATHER LONGER TIME SCALE BECAUSE THE BASIC LAW COMES INTO EFFECT IN 1997. IN BOTH THOSE PROCESSES, AS I'VE SAID SEVERAL TIMES, IT IS OBVIOUSLY RIGHT AND SENSIBLE FOR HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO BE ALIVE TO THE CONCERNS AND VIEWS OF EACH OTHER EQUALLY SENSIBLE FOR THEM TO BE ALIVE TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

QUESTION: BUT HAVE YOU GOT THE POWER OF VETO.

SIR GEOFFREY: IT'S NOT A MATTER WHERE A POWER OF VETO ARISES. THE PREPARATION OF THE BASIC LAW HAS ALWAYS BEEN FORESEEN AS A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE BASIS OF AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND OBVIOUSLY WE ARE CONCERNED, AS ARE THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, THAT THE PREPARATION OF THE BASIC LAW SHOULD BE ALONG THE LINES FORESHADOWED BY THE JOINT DECLARATION.

QUESTION: FROM THE MEETINGS OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE IN THE LAST YEAR, THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE LEARNED THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET AND TO AMEND THE BASIC LAW AND THE RIGHT TO APPOINT THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE WHO WILL IN TURN NOMINATE PRINCIPAL OFFICIALS, AND

THE HONG KONG

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