XN000022-1992-04-25 — Page 2

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SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 1992

LORD WILSON TO HAVE LONG TALK WITH SUCCESSOR

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THE GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON SAID TONIGHT (SATURDAY) THAT HE WILL HAVE A VERY LONG TALK WITH HIS SUCCESSOR, MR CHRISTOPHER PATTEN DURING HIS VISIT TO LONDON.

SPEAKING TO THE PRESS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS DEPARTURE, LORD WILSON SAID: "THE TIMING OF THE VISIT HAS WORKED OUT VERY WELL BECAUSE IN

ADDITION NOW TO SEEING THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR ALISTAIR GOODLAD, AS NEW MINISTER WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG; I NOW HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK TO MR CHRIS PATTEN WHO WILL BE SUCCEEDING ME AS GOVERNOR."

"ANYBODY HERE KNOWS IT'S NOT A SIMPLE JOB; IT'S NOT A CEREMONIAL JOB; IT'S A VERY HARD-WORKING JOB, AND I WILL BE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF THE DETAIL OF THE POLICY ISSUES, ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES OF HONG KONG, HOW INTERESTING THE JOB IS AS WELL AS WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE,' HE SAID.

ASKED HOW HE WOULD TELL HIS SUCCESSOR NOT TO UPSET CHINA AND AT THE SAME TIME SATISFY THE LIBERALS, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I WILL EXPECT HIM TO MAKE HIS OWN DECISIONS ON HOW TO DO THAT SORT OF THING. HE IS A MAN OF GREAT POLITICAL SKILL, A LOT OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE; I'M SURE HE'LL FIND HIS OWN WAY OF ACHIEVING JUST PRECISELY THAT BALANCE."

WHEN ASKED IF HE THOUGHT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS WOULD BE OVERLOOKED IN TIME OF CONFLICT BECAUSE OF HIS SUCCESSOR'S CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH BRITAIN, LORD WILSON SAID: "NO, I DON'T. I THINK THE RESPONSIBILITY, THE TASK AND THE PLEASURE OF A GOVERNOR IS TO LOOK AFTER THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG, THAT IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY."

HE SAID MR PATTEN PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THAT WHEN HE GAVE

HIS PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY.

"THAT IS THE ROLE CARRIED OUT BY ANY GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG; HIS JOB IS TO LOOK AFTER HONG KONG AND HONG KONG'S AFFAIRS," HE ADDED.

HK MORE SELF-RELIANT ON SUPPLY OF CORNEAL TISSUES

HONG KONG WILL TAKE A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN PROMOTING AND PROCESSING LOCAL EYE DONATION, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, MRS ELIZABETH WONG, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY OF THE KUNG WAH LEE EYE TISSUE LABORATORY OF THE HONG KONG EYE BANK AND RESEARCH FOUNDATION, MRS WONG SAID: "WE HAVE BEEN RELYING HEAVILY ON THE SRI LANKA -EYE BANK FOR OUR SUPPLY OF CORNEAL TISSUES.

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