XN000022-1989-01-11 — Page 43

UN

1

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989

REFERENDUM IN STRUCTURE OF THE AN APPROPRIATE

CHAN BO SHUN (HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL): I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BECAUSE SOME DEMOCRATS IN HONG KONG ARE ASKING FOR A HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 TO DETERMINE THE POLITICAL

IN UK'S VIEW DO YOU THINK FUTURE SAR. SUGGESTION?

AND

IS IT

UP TO

LORD GLENARTHUR: WELL, IT IS AN ISSUE WHICH IS REALLY THE BASIC LAW DRAFTERS TO DECIDE THE FORM OF CONSIDERATION THAT SHOULD AT THE TAKE

I MEAN, IT IS A LIVE ISSUE PLACE ON THE SECOND DRAFT. MOMENT. IT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT BY THOSE CONCERNED BUT IT IS CLEARLY A FACT THAT THE MORE THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO REACH A CLEAR VIEW ON THE WAY FORWARD, THE EASIER IT IS GOING TO BE FOR THE DRAFTERS TAKE THOSE VIEWS INTO ACCOUNT.

TO

YOU DO YOU GOVERNMENT'S

WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE

BRITISH

JOHN ELLIOT (FINANCIAL TIMES): APPROACHED ABOUT TAKING REFUGEES AND WHAT LEVEL OF RESPONSE

FROM THEM REQUIRE

IN ORDER TO TRIGGER THE WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THE THOUSAND?

LORD GLENARTHUR: ALL THE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN APPROACHED. YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT A LIST OF THOSE THAT HAVE SO FAR THE LEVEL OF APPROACH TAKEN RESETTLEMENT CASES TO KNOW WHO THOSE ARE.

AS I WE HAVE TO JUDGE IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESPONSES THAT WE GET.

WE HAVE ACTUALLY NOW GOT SAID, THE INITIAL RESPONSES ARE ENCOURAGING. TO

CAN SEE MEAT BEING PUT ON THE BONES OF THOSE RESPONSES BEFORE WE JUDGE.

ELSE,

JOHN ELLIOT: BUT YOU MUST HAVE SOME IDEA, IF YOU HAVE SAID YOU WILL DO SOMETHING ON CONDITION OF SOMEBODY ELSE DOING SOMETHING YOU MUST HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU EXPECT THOSE PEOPLE TO DO?

LORD GLENARTHUR:

THE INTERNATIONAL I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT

SEE WHAT RESPONSE WILL BE A SATISFACTORY ONE. WE HAVE TO WAIT AND THAT RESPONSE IS. BEYOND THAT I CAN'T GO.

STEVE

REMARKS ON CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR VINES (OBSERVER):

DRAFT ΤΟ THE BASIC LAW.

YOU SAY YOU WILL BE LOOKING AT THE SECOND

HAVING SEEN MAKE SURE THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION.

YOU THE FIRST DRAFT, WERE THERE ANY ELEMENTS IN THE FIRST DRAFT THAT

THOSE ISSUES FELT DIDN'T COMPLY WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WERE RAISED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT?

LORD GLENARTHUR: I THINK THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ARE AWARE OF THE CONCERN THAT WAS EXPRESSED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FROM HONG KONG PARTICULARLY ON THE PERCEIVED INADEQUACIES OF THE BASIC LAW. INDEED FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN PARLIAMENT HAD A DEBATE ON IT IN THE LORDS, AND INDEED THERE WAS ONE

OF ISSUES COMMONS AS WELL, A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE, A NUMBER RAISED THERE, AND I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT DUE NOTE WAS TAKEN OF BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES. WE NOW HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE DRAFT PRODUCES. I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT THERE WILL BE A SATISFACTORY CHANGES THERE.

WELL FORA

WHERE WE

IN THE

WERE

THEM

NEW

NUMBER OF

/STEVE VINES: