XN000022-1989-10-11 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1989

WOULD NEVER PREVENT SIR DAVID REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNMENT

KONG. HE HONG

SAID HE FULLY PEOPLE FROM LEAVING

UNDERSTOOD THE DILEMMA THAT MANY FAMILIES FACED IN DECIDING WHETHER TO GO OR TO STAY SEEING SO MANY SKILLED AND THAT HE COULD NOT PRETEND THAT HE LIKED AND TALENTED PEOPLE LEAVING HONG KONG.

ALSO WELL AWARE "NOT ONLY DOES HONG KONG NEED THEM, BUT I AM

WE ALL KNOW OF FAMILIES THAT MANY OF THEM DO NOT REALLY WANT TO GO. WHO WOULD PREFER TO STAY IN HONG KONG BUT WHO HAVE BEEN UPROOTED

HE NOTED. EVEN SEPARATED FOR LONG PERIODS,"

SIR DAVID SAID HE HOPED MANY OF THESE

AND CONTRIBUTE TO HONG

KONG'S

SECURITY THAT THEY WERE SEEKING.

FUTURE

AND

ONCE

EMIGRANTS THEY

HAD

WOULD RETURN OBTAINED

THE

EVOLUTION OF HK'S RELATIONSHIP WITH UK

HAS EVOLVED

HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM

SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY

IN THE PAST YEAR, THE GOVERNOR. (WEDNESDAY).

THE GOVERNOR SAID CONTRARY TO SOME POPULAR MYTHS, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD FOR MANY YEARS BEEN LEFT ESSENTIALLY FREE ΤΟ GET ON WITH THE JOB OF RUNNING HONG KONG BY ITSELF.

"WE HAVE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS, SUCH AS EDUCATION, SOCIAL WELFARE AND MEDICAL SERVICES.

"FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS OR SO, WE HAVE MADE ALL OUR OWN POLICY DECISIONS IN OTHER IMPORTANT AREAS SUCH AS THE ECONOMY, TRADE AND FINANCE," HE SAID.

AS A RESULT, THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT, THE GOVERNMENT HAD DEVELOPED SOME INTERESTS WHICH WERE SEPARATE FROM THOSE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IT HAD SOMETIMES FOUND ITSELF ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.

"WHEN THIS HAPPENS, YOU CAN BE SURE THAT YOUR GOVERNMENT ARGUES HARD ON HONG KONG'S BEHALF," HE STRESSED.

HE SAID IN THE PAST YEAR OR TWO, FOR INSTANCE, THE GOVERNMENT HAD HAD TO NEGOTIATE ABOUT THE RELATIVE SHARES OF COSTS INCURRED BY THE BRITISH GARRISON IN HONG KONG, AND HAD HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE PART THE UNITED KINGDOM PLAYED IN RESETTLING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES FROM THE TERRITORY.

ON NATIONALITY, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD ALSO PUT FORWARD A CLEAR HONG KONG CASE ON THE ISSUE.

"I HAVE