XN000022-1992-01-22 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1992

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"WHAT YOU NEED FOR HONG KONG IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO RUN AND MANAGE THE ADMINISTRATION OF A VERY COMPLEX SOCIETY, A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE SCENE

THE 11TH BIGGEST TRADING TERRITORY IN THE WORLD {SOMEONE) WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO MANAGE A COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAINLAND OF CHINA AND HAS A GREAT DEAL OF PATIENCE IN DEALING WITH THE VARIOUS ISSUES THAT COME UP IN HONG KONG.'

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EARLIER TODAY THE GOVERNOR GAVE THE CLOSING SPEECH TO THE HONG KONG BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES CONFERENCE AT THE QE II CONFERENCE CENTRE IN LONDON. THE CONFERENCE WAS ATTENDED BY ABOUT 400 BRITISH BUSINESS LEADERS.

MEETING WITH

IN THE EVENING, SIR DAVID WILL HAVE AN INFORMAL THE PRIME MINISTER, MR JOHN MAJOR, AT NUMBER 10 DOWNING STREET.

GOVERNOR MEETS PRIME MINISTER

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, HAD A THIRTY-MINUTE INFORMAL. MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, MR JOHN MAJOR, AT NUMBER 10 DOWNING STREET TONIGHT (WEDNESDAY).

TALKING TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE NUMBER 10 SIR DAVID DESCRIBED THE MEETING AS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION WITH MR MAJOR.

FOR HIM ΤΟ HONG

"IT WAS VERY NICE OF HIM AT THE END OF A LONG DAY ASK ME AROUND FOR A DRINK AND A CHAT ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN KONG.

"HE TAKES A VERY CLOSE INTEREST IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS, ALWAYS HAS AND PARTICULARLY SO SINCE HE CAME OUT TO HONG KONG

IN SEPTEMBER. SO IT WAS GOOD FOR ME AT THE END OF A LONGISH DAY ΤΟ HAVE A CHANCE JUST IN A VERY RELAXED WAY TO TALK TO THE PRIME MINISTER.

ASKED WHETHER MR MAJOR HAD GIVEN AN ASSURANCE THAT HE WOULD TAKE IN THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG IN SELECTING THE NEXT GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID SAID HE WOULD NOT GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT WAS A PRIVATE CONVERSATION.

EARLIER TODAY, THE GOVERNOR SAID IF A MOTION WAS PASSED BY LEGCO THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG TO BE REFLECTED то THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THEN THIS WOULD BE DONE BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

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"WE ALWAYS REPORT TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT VIEWS EXPRESSED HONG KONG ON IMPORTANT ISSUES WHICH ARE GERMANE ΤΟ WHATEVER BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS DOING, SIR DAVID SAID.

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