XN000022-1988-01-19 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1988

GOOD PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF JOINT DECLARATION

BEEN

THE 27.

OF IMPLEMENTATION

MAY FORCE ON RANGE OF IMPORTANT BARRIE MR

WIGGHAM, SAID

MADP GOOD PROGRESS HAD

IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION SINCE IT CAME INTO

A WIDE 1985, AND ACHIEVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE IN SUBJECTS, THE SECRETARY FOR GENERAL DUTIES, TODAY (TUESDAY).

CLUB OF KOWLOON MADE AND BECAUSE OF COMING INTO FORCE OF

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY EAST, MR WIGGHAM SAID: "THE GOOD PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE HAS BEEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF CAREFUL PREPARATION BY BOTH SIDES, CLOSE CONSULTATION AND CO-OPERATION SINCE THE THE JOINT DECLARATION.“

EXTENSIVE EXERCISE OF

MR WIGGHAM NOTED THAT AN

EXCHANGE OF

CONSULTATION INFORMATION AND

BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE

FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENTS WAS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE JOINT DECLARATION AND A SMOOTH TRANSFER IN 1997.

OF

IN CONFIDENCE

THE

AND

A

WAY

OF

"CONSULTATION CAN BE SEEN AS A SIGN COMMITMENT TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, AND IS MANIFESTLY THE BEST

A SMOOTH TRANSITION, AND HENCE TO ACHIEVE

THE

STABILITY AND PROSPERITY,' HE SAID.

MAINTENANCE

MISUNDERSTOOD:

HONG

"I AM AWARE THAT THIS CONSULTATION CAN BE

THE PROCESS AS HAVE CRITICISED

RENDERING THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IMPOTENT IN THE CONDUCT OF OUR OWN AFFAIRS; HAVE REPRESENTED IT AS UNWARRANTED INTERFERENCE BY CHINA HONG KONG BUSINESS.

SOME

KONG

OTHERS IN WHAT IS

"SUCH CRITICS SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES WHETHER THEY THE TWO SIDES NOT TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AT ALL.

WOULD PREFER

"I SUGGEST SUCH A COURSE WOULD NOT BE IN ANYONE'S INTEREST.

A

MR WIGGHAM POINTED OUT THAT THE TWO SIDES HAD RANGE OF

SUBJECTS THROUGH PARTICULAR THE JOINT LLATSON GROUP

IMPORTANT

11

COVERED A WIDE OF

IN VARIETY

CHANNELS, AND THOSE MEETINGS HELD UNDER ITS UMBRELLA; AND THE LAND COMMISSION WILLCH MEETS IN HONG KONG.

MAY NOT SOMETIMES OVERSHADOWED

"SOME ACHIEVEMENTS RECORDED IN THESE VARIOUS MEETINGS BE ALWAYS AS EYE CATCHING AS OTHERS, BY OTHER APPARENTLY MORE NEWSWORTHY ITEMS.

ARE AND

...

BECAUSE MANY OF THE ISSUES ARE SOMEWHAT THIS IS PERHAPS

BE FORGIVEN FOR NOT ALWAYS SPECIALISED: THE MAN IN THE STREET MAY APPRECIATING THEIR IMPORTANCE.

MR WIGGHAM CITED TWO EXAMPLES TO SÍLOW HOW THE JLG OPERATES HOW IN PRACTICE THE TWO SIDES WORK TOGETHER TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS CAN OFTEN INVOLVE SENSITIVE POINTS OF PRINCIPLE.

THE FIRST

AND WHICH