XN000022-1989-05-23 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 23, 1989

EVERYONE HOPING FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION: GOVERNOR

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GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) HE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN HONG KONG HOPED THAT THE SITUATION IN CHINA WOULD BE RESOLVED PEACEFULLY AND WITH GOOD SENSE.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS BEFORE ATTENDING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, SIR DAVID SAID PEOPLE HERE WERE WATCHING DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA WITH INTENSE INTEREST AND WITH GREAT CONCERN.

"IT'S VERY UNDERSTANDABLE THAT HERE IN HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE WANTED TO EXPRESS THEIR CONCERN ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS.

"THEY'VE DONE IT WITH GREAT INTENSITY OF FEELING, BUT ALSO WITH A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND WITH GOOD ORDER, SIR DAVID SAID.

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"WE MUST NOW WAIT TO SEE HOW THE SITUATION IN CHINA RESOLVES ITSELF. THE WAY IN WHICH THAT IS DONE IS BOUND TO AFFECT THE PERCEPTIONS PEOPLE HERE HAVE ON CHINA, HE ADDED.

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SIR DAVID SAID THAT WHILE PEOPLE WERE LOOKING AT CURRENT EVENTS, THEY MUST ALSO LOOK BEYOND IMMEDIATE EVENTS.

"THINGS LIKE THE BASIC LAW AND WHAT GOES INTO THE BASIC LAW REMAIN ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ARE THE BASIS FOR HONG KONG WELL BEYOND THE PRESENT DEVELOPMENTS FOR 50 YEARS AFTER 1997. SAID.

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"WHEN THE IMPORTANT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT ARE INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS, AFTER THAT THE BASIC LAW WILL STILL BE OF SIGNIFICANCE TO HONG KONG FOR A WHOLE OF 50 YEARS AFTER 1997.

"80 GETTING THE BASIC LAW RIGHT, GETTING THE DETAILS OF IT AS RIGHT AS WE CAN REMAINS VERY IMPORTANT, SIR DAVID SAID.

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THE GOVERNOR SAID HONG KONG HAD AN IMMENSE ABILITY ΤΟ BOUNCE BACK, WITH THINGS SUCH AS THE STOCK MARKET, AND THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE ECONOMIC REALITIES AND ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS WOULD ALWAYS RE-ASSERT THEMSELVES.

"THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG. I'M SURE IT ALWAYS WILL BE," HE SAID,

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