XN000022-1990-01-16 — Page 21

TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1990

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NOT A TOTAL SPREAD

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MR HURD: I ACCEPT, PARTICULARLY AFTER MY USEFUL MEETING WITH OMELCO LAST NIGHT, A MEETING WITH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY, MY MEETINGS WITH, REALLY QUITE

BUT REALLY QUITE LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, THAT THERE IS CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT, STRONG SUPPORT, FOR THE CONSENSUS WHICH OMELCO WORKED OUT, AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF WORK AND A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT ON THEIR PART. WHETHER THAT CAN BE RECONCILED WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF CONTINUITY UP TO AND BEYOND 1997. IS OF COURSE THE QUESTION TO WHICH WE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER. BUT THAT SEARCH. AS I INDICATED, CAN'T GO ON FOR VERY LONG.

K.Y. LAU (RTHK): MR HURD, CAN YOU GIVE ANY ASSURANCE THAT HONG KONG INTERESTS WILL NOT BE IGNORED WHEN BRITAIN NEGOTIATES WITH CHINA ON THE POLITICAL REFORM IN HONG KONG?

MR HURD: YES. I CAN. SOME PEOPLE STILL SEEM TO THINK THAT THERE IS SOME GREAT BRITISH VESTED INTEREST IN SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS QUITE SEPARATE FROM HONG KONG, THAT THERE 18 SOME CONSIDERATION WHICH WOULD LEAD US TO OVERRIDE HONG KONG, OR NEGLECT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS. I'VE LOOKED IN EVERY CUPBOARD IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE AND I CAN'T FIND ANY SUCH BRITISH INTEREST. THE OVERWHELMING FACTOR, MUCH THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENT. IN BRITISH RELATIONS WITH CHINA IS HONG KONG. AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS AND TAKE DECISIONS IN THE LONG TERM INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. SO LONG AS WE ARE THE SOVEREIGN POWER. OUR OBLIGATION TO MAKE SENSE, IN TERMS OF HONG KONG, OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. SO THAT IS THE MAIN COMPONENT OF OUR DEALINGS WITH CHINA AND I AM GLAD OF THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

MR HURD. MANY COUNTRIES

HAVE

SIMON WALTERS (THE SUN: CRITICISED BRITAIN'S POLICY OF FORCIBLE REPATRIATION AS BEING VERY CRUEL. DID THE NATURE OF YOUR RECEPTION AT THE BOAT PEOPLE'S CAMP TODAY THE POLITE RECEPTION, THE PEACEFUL PROTEST, AND THE RANKS OF WELL BERAVED CHILDREN DID THAT MAKE YOU HAVE ANY SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT BRITAIN'S DECISION?

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MR HURD: I DON'T THINK MANY COUNTRIES HAVE DENOUNCED IT AS CRUEL. THE CRITICISMS HAVE CERTAINLY COME, BUT ON THE WHOLE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN AS PIERCE CRITICISMS AS

PERSONALLY, HAD EXPECTED

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BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS NOW A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HONG KONG HAS ACCEPTED AND ENDURED AS A RESULT OF ITS WILLINGNESS TO RECEIVE BOAT PEOPLE. I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE DEMONSTRATION TODAY WAS PEACEFUL.. WAS WELL ORGANISED. IT WAS A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST REPATRIATION: IT WAS A DEMONSTRATION ORGANISED, I

THINK. FOR YOUR

BENEFIT RATHER THAN MINE, BUT THAT IS PERFECTLY FAIR AND I MAKE NO COMPLAINT ABOUT THAT. 1T DOESN'T ALTER THE POSITION, I MUST SAY, ONE OF THE IMPRESSIONS I RETURN TO LONDON WITH IS OF THE VERY STRONG FEELING AT THE GRASSROOTS HERE IN HONG KONG ON THIS QUESTION OF THE BOAT PEOPLE.

SALLY BLYTH (RTHE): MR HURÐ, I'D JUST LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE QUESTION OF POLITICAL REFORM. YOU SAID WHEN YOU ARRIVED HERE THAT THE TIMING WOULD BE WITHIN WEEKS. CAN YOU SAY WHETHER A DECISION WILL BE MADE BEFORE THE PLENARY SESSION OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING ('OMMITTEE MEETING IN THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY?

/MR HURD: