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BACK
TO
IF
WE
BE
PAUL HARRINGTON, HONG KONG STANDARD: CAN I TAKE YOU 1991
BACK TO THE FUTURE? IF THE ELECTIONS ARE A SUCCESS, AGREE THAT THEY ARE ALL A SUCCESS, THEN WHAT EXACTLY WILL YOU ASKING BEIJING FOR? IS THERE A FIGURE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE NUMBER OF ELECTED SEATS INCREASE BY, FOR EXAMPLE?
THE
LORD CAITHNESS: I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC FIGURE IN MIND AT THE MOMENT. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE AGREEMENT IS THAT BY 1997 THERE WILL BE TWENTY DIRECT-ELECTED SEATS. WE WOULD SEEK TO NEGOTIATE AN INCREASE ON THAT.
PAUL HARRINGTON: BUT YOU WOULDN'T SAY THAT THERE WAS AN OPTIMUM NUMBER FOR 19957
STAGE.
LORD CAITHNESS: I THINK IT WOULD BE WRONG TO SPECULATE AT
THIS
HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY: THE CHINESE OFFICIAL MEDIA REPORTED YESTERDAY THAT ON TUESDAY, THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES IN GUANGDONG EXECUTED SIXTY-FOUR PEOPLE. THAT'S JUST ACROSS THE BORDER AND IT'S A MASS-EXECUTION OF EXTREME PROPORTIONS. GIVEN THE CONCERN ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY HERE, COULD YOU COMMENT ON THOSE EXECUTIONS?
LORD CAITHNESS: I THINK IT WOULD BE WRONG FOR ME TO WITH WHAT ANOTHER COUNTRY IS DOING.
ABOUT BILL
INTERFERE ·
HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY: COULD YOU THEN, PERHAPS, EXPAND THAT TO TALK THE CONCERN ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY NOT BEING DROPPED FROM THE OF RIGHTS OR THE BASIC LAW HERE? THE DEATH PENALTY WILL STILL BE IN LAW WHEN HONG KONG IS HANDED-OVER TO CHINA IN 1997.
LORD CAITHNESS: AT THE MOMENT IT WILL BE.
HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY: ANY PLANS TO CHANGE IT?
LORD CAITHNESS: NOT THAT I KNOW OF.
HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY: AND NO CONCERN AT ALL ABOUT THE EXECUTIONS IN CHINA?
MASS-
LORD CAITHNESS: THERE WILL BE CONCERN, OBVIOUSLY, AND I NEED TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE FUTURE.
WILL
MENTIONED HOW
STEVE GLAIN, INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE: YOU IMPORTANT IT IS TO SIT DOWN WITH CHINA AND EXPLAIN TO THEM THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE AND THE AIRPORT, TO CLEAR UP ANY MISUNDERSTANDING. IF IT'S SO IMPORTANT, WHY WEREN'T THE CHINESE CONSULTED ON BOTH OF THESE ISSUES BEFORE THEY WERE ANNOUNCED?
/LORD CAITHNESS:
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