XN000022-1992-07-27 — Page 18

MONDAY, JULY 27, 1992

17

MR HURD, DO YOU CONSIDER IT POLITICALLY REACTIVE ΤΟ DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON THE

GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OF THE

FRANCIS YIP (RTHK): FOR THE BRITISH SIDE APPOINTMENT OF SENIOR GOVERNMENT?

FOREIGN

SECRETARY:

HONG

KONG

THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR APPOINTING SENIOR OFFICIALS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT RESTS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND THAT IS OF COURSE THE CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION. AS TIME PASSES AND APPROACHES, OBVIOUSLY THERE WILL NEED TO BE, IN THE INTERESTS OF ORDER, SOME DISCUSSION ON CONTINUITY,

1997 GOOD

THE GOVERNOR: I THINK THAT AS WE APPROACH 1997, CO-OPERATION WILL INEVITABLY AND PROPERLY BECOME MORE EXTENSIVE RIGHT ACROSS THE ISSUES WHICH WILL AFFECT US AS GOVERNMENT BEFORE 1997, AND THE SAR AFTER 1997,

AND WE WILL HAVE TO BEHAVE IN A WAY WHICH RECOGNISES THAT ON BOTH SIDES.

THE

MANDY KONG (ATV); MR HURD, YOU'VE SAID MANY TIMES THAT, SORT OF, JLG MUST BE SPEEDED UP. BUT HOW TO SPEED IT UP, IN WHAT WAY?

FOREIGN SECRETARY: THE JLG MEETS QUITE OFTEN BUT ITS MINUTES DON'T SUGGEST THAT IT'S VERY QUICK OR EFFECTIVE, AT THE MOMENT, AT PRODUCING ANSWERS. THIS IS NO FAULT, I THINK, OF MR GALSWORTHY AND HIS IT IS THE RIGHT BODY, SO WE DO NEED TO TRY AND RESOLVE THE BLOCKAGES. I WILL TRY AGAIN, WHEN I MEET MR QIAN QICHEN THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER IN NEW YORK, TO DO THAT, AND TO FIND OUT HOW THESE BLOCKAGES OCCUR. A LOT OF THEM MAY BE A GENUINE NEED TO RECONCILE GENUINELY DIFFERING INTERESTS THERE ARE REAL PROBLEMS WHICH DO HAVE ΤΟ BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED AND TACKLED SO I'M NOT MAKING ANY GENERAL ACCUSATION ABOUT THE WORK OF THE JLG. BUT WE WILL INCREASINGLY FIND, AS 1997 APPROACHES, THAT ON THE CHINESE SIDE THERE WILL BE AN INTEREST IN QUICKENING THE PACE OF THE WORK BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF MATTERS THEY WANT TO TACKLE, AND OUR VIEW IS, THE SOONER WE CAN ACCELERATE THE BETTER.

THE GOVERNOR:

L

—

1 DON'T THINK ONE SHOULD UNDERESTIMATE THE AMOUNT OF WORK WHICH HAS BEEN DONE BY THE HEROES WHO SPEND SO MUCH TIME DISCUSSING THESE MATTERS IN THE JLG: A GREAT DEAL OF WORK DONE ON PARTICULARLY LEGAL 188UES, THE POSITION OF HONG KONG IN INTERNATIONAL FORA, BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS BETWREN HONG KONG AND OTHER COUNTRIES, LOCALISATION OF LAWS AND SO ON, ALL VERY IMPORTANT MATTERS, BUT THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND WE ARE, I THINK, GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEREVER POSSIBLE, MONTHS LAST 31 DAYS AT THE OUTSIDE.

MICHAEL MACKEY (ITN): FOREIGN SECRETARY, ARE YOU SATISFIED THAT THE COMPROMISE EFFECTED BETWEEN THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT AND THE UN WILL SAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF MILITARY ACTION IN BAGHDAD?

FOREIGN SECRETARY:

I'M NOT SURE ABOUT COMPROMISE. IRAQ HAS COMPLIED WITH THE IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENTS OF THE UN SPECIAL COMMISSION, SO THE IMMEDIATE CRISIS IS OVER.

FRANCIS MORIATY (METRO NEWS):

(INDISTINCT}

FOREIGN SECRETARY:

WELL ALL I CAN ANSWER ΤΟ THAT

FUTURE IS THE FUTURE.

IS,

THE

IT'S

IMMEDIATE CRISIS IS OVER AND THE SATISFACTORY THAT IRAQ HAS COMPLIED.

/ANDREW BROWN