XN000022-1987-09-19 — Page 25

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1987

Q.

(EMILY LAU); BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT IN CONSIDERING THESE APPLICATIONS, ONE KEY FACTOR WOULD BE THE QUALITY OF SERVICE. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, LORD GLENARTHUR?

A:

IT MEANS PRECISELY WHAT IT SAYS.

(EMILY LAU): I AM SORRY, WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT 18 "QUALITY OF SERVICE.' DOES IT MEAN WORKING AS AN AO? OR WORKING IN THE SPECIAL BRANCH OF THE HONG KONG POLICE OR JUST WORKING POR THE USD OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

A:

ANY OTHER

I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT "QUALITY OF SERVICE" WAS SELF-EXPLANATORY. I AM SORRY THAT YOU ASK ME TO EXPLAIN IT. I CAN'T ADD ANY WORDS TO THAT AT ALL, I AM AFRAID, THOSE WORDS ARE QUITE CLEAR TO MY MIND, QUITE CLEAR WHEN THEY WERE PRONOUNCED IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS AND J REST ON THAT.

(RUBY ONG, WEN WEI PO): REGARDING THE REVIEW ON REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, SIR S.Y. CHUNG HAS SAID YESTERDAY THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE HOLDING OPPOSING VIEWS. HOW WILL THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HANDLE THE PROBLEM SO THAT THE PROBLEM OF OPPOSING VIEWS WILL NOT AFFECT THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG?

A:

ONE THING THAT WE ARE ALL DETERMINED TO DO IS TO ENSURE THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE. THE REVIEW IS GOING ON AT THE MOMENT; THE CONSULTATION PERIOD IS NOT YET COMPLETE AND, AS 1 SAID IN ANSWER TO EARLIER QUESTIONS, I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THAT CONSULTATION PERIOD COMES UP WITH. WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULTS OF IT, THEN WE WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW ΤΟ TAKE IT FORWARD. I ALSO NOTE THE POINT ABOUT THE CLEAR MAJORITY VIEW WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE EXPRESSED.

Q.

(STUART PALLISTER, ATV): CAN I JUST TRY TO PIN YOU DOWN ON THIS "CLEAR MAJORITY VIEW" AND ON THIS RATHER VAGUE STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT POLITICAL FACT. DOES THIS MEAN THAT IF MOST PEOPLE WANT DIRECT ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR, THERE WILL BE DIRECT ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR?

A:

WELL, HOW MANY DIFFERENT THING, THE ANSWER IS THIS,

Q.

WAYS

WOULD BE SAYING THE SAME

(STUART PALLISTER): PLEASE CAN YOU GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER TO A STRAIGHT QUESTION?

IS

SEE

A:

I THINK YOU ARE ASKING ME AGAIN TO PRE-JUDGE AN ISSUE WHICH NOT YET BEEN.... WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE ANSWER YET. LET US WAIT AND WHAT THE OUTCOME IS. THEN, IF AS I SAID, THERE 15 A CLEAR MAJORITY VIEW ON ANY OF THE OPTIONS THEN THAT WOULD BE A FACT, A POLITICAL FACT WHICH IT WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE NECESSARY TO GIVE FULL WEIGHT CAN'T GO BEYONG THAT HOWEVER MUCH YOU TRY TO PIN WK DOWN, BUT THAT IS THE FACT, YOU REALLY HAVE GONE AS FAR AS YOU CAN GO. 1 THINK, ON PARTICULAR ONE.

TO.

THAT

10.

(WILSON WONG,