XN000022-1992-09-23 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1992

"I

PROPOSE AFTER THAT, PROVIDED PEOPLE THINK THOSE ARE USEFUL SESSIONS, TO HOLD FURTHER MEFTINGS NOT JUST THIS AUTUMN BUT SO LONG AS I'M THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG.

"IT IS OUR INTENTION TO ENSURE THAT ANYBODY CAN COME AND ANYBODY CAN ASK A QUESTION. THE ONLY LIMITATION WILL BE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN FIT INTO THE CITY HALL OR THE SHA TIN TOWN HALL AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE'LL HAVE AVAILABLE BEFORE THE NORMAL EVENING FUNCTIONS,' HE SAID.

"

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT HIS VISITS TO THE DISTRICTS ASPECT OF BEING ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

WERE ONE

ASKED IF THIS WOULD LESSEN THE REPRESENTATION OR STATUS OF ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR PATTEN SAID: "I DON'T IN ANY WAY SEE MYSELF AS COMPETING WITH THE MANDATE WHICH ELECTED MEMBERS THEMSELVES HAVE.

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"BUT GIVEN THE FACT THAT I'M APPOINTED, IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT I DEMONSTRATE WHENEVER I CAN, THAT I ALSO WISH ΤΟ BE ACCOUNTABLE.

F

WE

WANT A STRONG GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG AND THAT GOVERNMENT WILL BE ALL THE STRONGER IF IT'S ALSO ACCOUNTABLE. ACCOUNTABILITY DOESN'T UNDERMINE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, IT MAKES REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT STRONGER."

COMMENTING ON HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO CHINA, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "ORIGINALLY MY CHINESE HOSTS SUGGESTED THAT T SHOULD VISIT PEKING, AS YOU KNOW, FROM OCTOBER 12 TO 14, BUT IT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT THE PARTY CONGRESS STARTS ON OCTOBER 12 AND UNDERSTANDABLY THAT DOES CREATE SOME ADMINISTRATIVE DIFFICULTIES AS FAR AS VISITING PEKING AS GOVERNOR AT THE SAME TIME IS CONCERNED.

"I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ALTERNATIVE DATES, MR PATTEN ADDED.

--

HAVE SUGGESTED

GOVERNOR POSTPONES PEKING VISIT

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HE HAD ACCEPTED A CHINESE PROPOSAL FOR A SHORT POSTPONEMENT OF HIS VISIT TO PEKING.

THE VISIT WILL NOW TAKE PLACE BETWEEN OCTOBER 21 AND 23 RATHER THAN BETWEEN OCTOBER 12 AND 14 AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED.

THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE EXPLAINED THAT PARTY CONGRESS ON OCTOBER 12 WOULD MAKE IT RECEIVE THE GOVERNOR PROPERLY AND THEY ALTERNATIVE DATES.

THE START OF THE 14TH DIFFICULT FOR THEM ΤΟ HAVE THEREFORE PROPOSED

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