XN000022-1989-09-17 — Page 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1989

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MINISTER OF STATE ARRIVES FOR THREE-DAY VISIT

MR

VISIT

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, FRANCIS MAUDE, ARRIVED TODAY (SUNDAY) FOR A THREE-DAY OFFICIAL TO HONG KONG.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT, MR MAUDE SAID IT HAD BEEN NEARLY A YEAR SINCE HE FIRST VISITED HONG KONG.

"THAT WAS IN HAPPIER TIMES THAN THESE AND I HAVE THE HAPPIEST MEMORIES OF IT. IT LEFT ME WITH A DEEP AFFECTION FOR THE TERRITORY AND WITH A PROFOUND ADMIRATION FOR ITS PEOPLE WHOSE ENERGY, INGENUITY HAVE MADE HONG KONG A BY-WORD FOR SUCCESS," HE SAID.

WITH

TALENTS AND

MINISTERIAL

MR MAUDE SAID SINCE BEING ENTRUSTED

WIDELY ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG IN LATE JULY, HE HAD READ

AND THE TERRITORY

HAD

AND TALK THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET

MANY VISITORS FROM HONG KONG, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, AND DAME LYDIA DUNN.

то

"I KNOW THAT HONG KONG AWAITS DECISIONS BY US. I MUST MAKE CLEAR THAT THIS WEEK I HAVE NONE TO ANNOUNCE," HE SAID.

IT

"MY TASK HERE IS TO HEAR WHAT HONG KONG HAS TO SAY, TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND I HOPE TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND PROBLEMS BETTER, HE ADDED.

"ONE

HUNDRED DAYS AGO, TIANANMEN SQUARE SHOCKED THE WORLD FOR HONG KONG THE NIGHTMARE SEEMED TO BE HAPPENING.

AND

"THAT HONG KONG'S CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE WAS GRAVELY IS A HISTORICAL FACT.

DAMAGED

AND PATIENCE CAN FULLY RESTORE IT, BUT THERE ARE "ONLY TIME

BY HER NONETHELESS THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE, STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN

BY HONG KONG ITSELF, BUT ABOVE MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT,

THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT, MR MAUDE SAID.

ALL BY

"DISCUSSIONS WITH PEKING RESUME NEXT WEEK. WE SHALL NOT CONDUCT SHOULD KNOW THAT ITS THOSE DISCUSSIONS IN PUBLIC, BUT HONG KONG

HE SAID. INTERESTS WILL BE PUT FORWARD ROBUSTLY IN PRIVATE,

THE MINISTER WAS GREETED AT THE AIRPORT BY THE DAVID WILSON: THE CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, BRITISH TRADE COMMISSIONER, MR PETER HEAP.

GOVERNOR. SIR SENIOR AND THE

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