XN000022-1992-10-07 — Page 6

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1992

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AS TO THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, WHAT I HAVE DONE IS VERY HARD то FIND WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN ACCOMMODATE UNDERSTANDABLE ASPIRATIONS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG FOR MORE SAY IN CONDUCT OF THEIR AFFAIRS WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW.

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EVERYTHING I SAID THIS AFTERNOON IF THAT IS CHINA DOES NOT ACCEPT THE ARGUMENTS FOR AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS- EVERYTHING I SET OUT THIS AFTERNOON IS ENTIRELY CONSISTENT WITH THE BASIC LAW.

HUGO GURDON (DAILY TELEGRAPH): COULD YOU COMMENT ON THE DANGER OF CHINESE RIGHT TO CONSULTATION BECOMING A POSSIBLE VETO ON YOUR PROPOSALS. ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ONLY PROPOSALS, YOU PUT A LOT

TIME AND EFFORT INTO THEM AND YOU THINK THAT THEY ARE RIGHT. COULD YOU SUGGEST HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ENSURE THAT THE RIGHT TO CONSULTATION DOESN'T BECOME A RIGHT TO OBSTRUCT?

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GOVERNOR: THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF LINGUISTICS AS WELL AS BETWEEN A CONSULTATIVE PROCESS AND THE EXERCISE OF A VETO. I GO CONSULTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH PEKING AND WITH THE PEOPLE OF

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KONG AND WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN GOOD FAITH. I WISH, IF CAN DO SO, TO FIND AGREEMENT ALL ROUND. I AM THAT SORT OF CHAP. LOVE IT IF WE CAN FIND A POSITION WHICH EVERYONE WILL SUPPORT WILL

AND I WORK FOR THAT. BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN PUBLIC LIFE, AT THE END OF ANY DISCUSSIONS, IS TO COME TO A CONCLUSION ABOUT WHAT IS THE RIGHT WAY FORWARD GIVEN WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO YOU; AND AS I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET, SOONER OR LATER, AND PROBABLY RATHER SOONER, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ITSELF IS GOING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON THE WAY THE 1995 ELECTIONS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED.

BARBARA BASLER (NEW YORK TIMES): SO THESE PROPOSALS THAT YOU'VE SET FORTH TODAY WILL GO BEFORE LEGCO, NO MATTER WHAT BEIJING SAYS?

GOVERNOR: NO, I DIDN'T SAY THAT AT ALL, WHAT I SAID IS THAT THE END- GAME, AFTER I'VE DISCUSSED THESE PROPOSALS WITH THE COMMUNITY, I'VE DISCUSSED THEM WITH LEGCO, AFTER I'VE DISCUSSED THEM WITH PEKING,

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IS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PUT PROPOSALS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND I HOPE GET THEM SUPPORTED. BUT I REPEAT THAT I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL FIND THE PROPOSALS THAT I'VE PUT FORWARD AS SENSIBLE AND COHERENT A PACKAGE AS I DO. AND SINCE THE OBJECTIVE, WHICH I THINK IS PRETTY COMMON IN HONG KONG TO ALL OF US, IS TO PUSH FORWARD DEMOCRACY IN A WAY WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE BASIC LAW, I HOPE THAT THE IDEAS I'VE ADVANCED WILL GET A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT.

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CHRIS ROBERTS (METRO NEWS): THE CREATION OF THE GOVERNMENT-LEGCO COMMITTEE WOULD APPEAR TO BE A KIND OF HALF-WAY HOUSE IN A APPEASE

TO WAY, THE UNITED DEMOCRACTS THEY ARE STILL NOT GETTING ON TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. AREN'T YOU DENYING THE PARTY WHICH THE PEOPLE HONG KONG VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR, A VOICE IN THE HIGHEST LEVEL GOVERNMENT?

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/GOVERNOR: NO