XN000022-1988-05-31 — Page 32

+

15

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 1988

KATHERINE MA: SORRY,

BESIDES WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY DEMAND, HOW FAR HAVE YOU UNDERSTOOD HOW THEY ARE CONTENTED OR DISCONTENTED WITH THE PRESENT SITUATION?

SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, BY CONTINUOUS APPRAISAL FROM ALL THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION THAT ARE AVAILABLE. WE READ AND STUDY WHAT PEOPLE SAY, WHAT THEY DO, WHAT THEY WRITE TO US IN REPRESENTATIONS, AS ONE DOES IN ANY SOCIETY. I DON'T HAVE ANY UNIQUE FINGER ON ANY SPECIAL PULSE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, BUT IT IS MY IMPRESSION, JUDGING BY THE SUCCESS BEING ACHIEVED BY HONG KONG IN THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE STILL HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEIR SOCIETY. IT IS MY IMPRESSION THAT PEOPLE AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD ALSO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THAT AND WE OUGHT TO KEEP IT LIKE THAT.

SALLY BLYTH: SIR GEOFFREY, IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS THAT UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES SHOULD PAY MORE TOWARDS THE COSTS OF RUNNING THE CLOSED CAMPS HERE. DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS AND WILL YOU APPROACH THE UNHCR ABOUT [T?

SIR GEOFFREY: WELL, WE ARE IN TOUCH WITH THE UNIICR AND WILL CERTAINLY BE PRESSING THAT POINT UPON THE HIGH COMMISSIONER. WE SHALL ALSO OF COURSE BE ENLISTING HIS HELP IN PRESSING VIETNAM FOR A CHANGE IN THEIR POLICY.

CLAUDIA MO: SIR, YOU SAID EARLIER THAT LONDON WOULD EXPRESS RESERVATIONS OVER THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BASIC LAW IF NECESSARY, BUT HOW COULD YOU BE SURE THAT BEIJING WOULD LISTEN TO YOUR VIEWS?

SIR GEOFFREY: HOW CAN ONE BE SURE OF ANYTHING? THE FACT IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA NOW FOR FIVE YEARS, DISCUSSING AND ANALYSING THESE THINGS AND SEEKING TO ACHIEVE AGREEMENTS, AND WE HAVE MADE VERY SUBSTANTIAL SOLID PROGRESS.

WHEN PEOPLE FIRST BEGAN LOOKING, AND WHEN I CAME HERE IN THE SPRING OF 1984 AND I SAID THAT WE WERE GOING ΤΟ BE SEEKING ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WOULD GUARANTEE HONG KONG'S ECONOMY, PROSPERITY AND WAY OF LIFE FOR THE FUTURE, PEOPLE SAID TO ME HOW CAN YOU BE SURE THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE THAT. I SAID I CAN'T BE SURE BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE A DAMN GOOD TRY.

WE WORKED TOGETHER FOR MONTHS AND PRODUCED THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, AND THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY SAW THAT DID INDEED ACCLAIM IT AS A VERY CONSIDERABLE SUCCESS. SO THAT 15 WHAT WE ACHIEVED THEN. WE ACHIEVED IT BECAUSE HONG KONG PEOPLE WANT IT, BECAUSE THE UK GOVERNMENT WANTS IT, AND BECAUSE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA WANTED IT, I THINK IN THE SAME SORT OF WAY WE GOING TO PRESS FOR THE TRANSLATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION INTO BASIC LAW.

THE

ARE

THE

/16