XN000022-1992-08-26 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1992

AFTER LUNCH, HE FLEW TO CASTLE PEAK TRAINING AREA то SEE DEMONSTRATIONS BY BRIGADE TROOPS. THESE INCLUDED MORTAR AND SMALL- ARMS LIVE FIRING.

HE THEN WENT ON TO STONECUTTERS ISLAND TO SEE WORK PROGRESS OF THE NEW NAVAL BASIN AND MEET MEMBERS OF THE HK MILITARY SERVICE CORPS.

MR PATTEN ENDED HIS "MILITARY DAY" WITH A RIDE ON A LANDING CRAFT OF 415 MARITIME TROOP BACK TO HMS TAMAR.

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GOVERNOR'S OVERSEAS TRIPS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

THE GOVERNOR, THE ᎡᎢ HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, (WEDNESDAY) HE WOULD SHORTLY MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON A PACKAGE OF VISITS ABROAD.

SAID COMPREHENSIVE

TODAY

OF MILITARY

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING A NUMBER FACILITIES, MR PATTEN SAID HE VERY MUCH HOPED TO VISIT CHINA SOON AFTER HIS POLICY ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

"WHAT I WANTED TO DO, AFTER MY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEECH, WAS ΤΟ GIVE MY HOSTS IN PEKING AS MUCH FREEDOM AS POSSIBLE

IN DECIDING WHAT DATES MIGHT BE CONVENIENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE OTHER IMPORTANT VISITORS LATER IN THE AUTUMN, AND I ALSO WANTED TO GIVE MYSELF SOME TIME TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ABOUT THE PROPOSALS THAT I'LL BE MAKING IN MY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SPEECH TO EXPLAIN THOSE PROPOSALS AND TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM, HE SAID.

ASKED TO COMMENT ABOUT PROPOSALS MADE BY THE CHINESE SIDE AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP EXPERT MEETING ON DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER. THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IF THE CHINESE OFFICIALS SAY THEIR PROPOSALS ARE CONSTRUCTIVE AND POSITIVE, THEN I SHALL VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO BEING BRIEFED ABOUT THEM AND I HOPE THEY WILL HELP US RESOLVE WHAT EVERYONE KNOWS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE.

++

BY

"THERE IS, I'M SURE COMMON GROUND TO ALL OF US

IN THIS. AS THESE SITES, AS THIS MILITARY ESTATE HAS BEEN NEEDED LESS AND LESS MILITARY FORCES: SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE IN HONG KONG THAT SHOULD DEVELOP THEM FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL USES,

|| HE ADDED.

WE

"I THINK THAT IS COMMON TO ALL OF US BUT WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS TO NEGOTIATE AN AGREEMENT WHICH MAKES SENSE FOR US, WHICH MAKES SENSE FOR THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND WHICH ENABLES US ΤΟ DEVELOP FOR OTHER PURPOSES, PARTICULARLY INNER CITY SITES, WHICH AREN'T NEEDED BY THE GARRISON," HE SAID.

MR PATTEN SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE ADEQUATE FACILITIES FOR THE MILITARY FORCES, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997.

/"TT EQUALLY