XN000022-1990-01-16 — Page 26

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1990

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MR HURD: WELL THE BASIC LAW INCLUDES I THINK IT'S ARTICLE IT INCLUDES SPECIFIC PROVISION IN ITS PRESENT DRAFT FOR THE TWO PRINCIPAL UNITED NATIONS' COVENANTS WHICH DEAL WITH HUMAN RIGHTS.

SO. I MEAN. SO FAR SO GOOD.

CHARLES WATSON: FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND LEVELS OF DEMOCRACY WHICH ARE STATED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ARE DISCUSSED ON NON- OFFICIAL LEVELS. IF THOSE ARE NOT SO MUCH CONTRAVENED BUT BASIC LAW'S STANDING IS NOT WHAT BRITAIN WANTS. HOW WILL REACT?

MR

IF THE

BRITAIN

PEOPLE'S

HURD:

WE HAVE MADE REPRESENTATIONS ΤΟ THE REPUBLIC ABOUT VARIOUS PARTS OF THE DRAFT BASIC LAW AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. WE'VE AGREED WITH THEM THAT WE WILL DO SO. NOT IN PUBLIC, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT, SO PAR AS WE CAN. THE DRAFT BASIC LAW DOES REFLECT FULLY THE SPIRIT WELL AS THE LETTER OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

AS

OF

OSWALD KWAN I

LORIENTAL DAILY NEWS): AT THE VERY BEGINNING THE TRIP, YOU SAID THAT YOU'VE COME HERE TO LISTEN TO OPINIONS. AND) NOW IT COMES TO THE END. HAVE YOU MADE ANY CONCLUSIONS ON THE HONG KONG PROPLE'S EXPECTATIONS ON POLITICAL REFORM IN 1991? AND DO YOU CONCEIVE ANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE EXPECTATIONS AND THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT'S POINT OF VIEW? IF THERE IS. HOW WOULD THE BRITISH

GOVERNMENT REACT TO THESE DIFFERENCES?

MR HURD:

1 RETURN VERY CLEAR FROM MANY CONVERSATIONS OF THE KEEN INTEREST AMONG MANY, THE PASSIONATE INTEREST AMONG SOME. IN MAKING AN EARLY DEFINITE STRONG START IN HONG KONG TOWARDS DIRECT ELECTIONS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THAT HAS BEEN ABUNDANTLY CLEAR. YOU MUST ASK THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT EXACTLY HOW THEY STAND TODAY ON THE QUESTION OF NUMBERS AND PROCEDURES. THE BEST ANSWER, WHICH WE CONTINUE TO SEEK FOR. 18 ONE WHICH WILL RECONCILE THE PRESENT WISHES

EXPRESSED, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE OMELCO CONSENSUS FOR HOW

HONG KONG SHOULD START. RECONCILE THAT WITH THE CONTINUATION AND THE FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS AFTER 1997. AND WE ARE SEEKING TO RECONCILE THOSE TWO BECAUSE THAT 15 CLEARLY THE BEST WAY. IF WE CAN'T ACHIEVE THAT BEST WAY. THEN WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT. THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS WILL HAVE TO MAKE A JUDGEMENT. IN WHICH THE STRONGLY EXPRESSED VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL OBVIOUSLY BE A CRUCIAL FACTOR. AND JUST TO COMPLETE THE STORY AGAIN. WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THAT JUDGEMENT, I HOPE WITHIN WEEKS.

LORNA WONG (SING TAO IN LONDON) :

THE

SECRETARY OF STATE, HAS THIS TRIP HELPED YOU TO MAKE UP YOUR MIND ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM? AND HOW CLOSE ARE YOU TO A DECISTON? CAN WE EXPECT ANYTHING BEFORE END OF NEXT MONTH? AND IS THE OMELCO PROPOSAL THE MOST FAVOURABLE ONE TO YOU AT THE MOMENT?

/MR HURD: