XN000022-1992-10-23 — Page 14

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1992

GOVERNOR:

I'M

THE FORBIDDEN CITY,

QUESTION:

CRITICISED RELATIONS.

GOVERNOR:

NOT REMOTELY FED UP. I'VE JUST BEEN GOING AROUND I'VE HAD A TERRIFIC MORNING.

WE

ARE ACTING ON PROPOSALS FOR A DIFFERENT ROUTE IF BY MR ZHOU NAN FOR OPEN CHALLENGE TO THE SINO-BRITISH

I'M NOT CHALLENGING ANYONE. I'M TRYING TO UNDERTAKE MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG TO SEE THAT ITS INSTITUTION PROVIDES A STRONG EXECUTIVE- LED GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS PROPERLY ACCOUNTED ΤΟ A MORE BROADLY-BASED LEGISLATURE. THAT IS WHAT I'M OBLIGED TO DO, THAT IS WHAT I'M OBLIGED TO DO UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THAT'S WHAT I'M OBLIGED TO DO IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. IT ISN'T CHALLENGING THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG TO PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS WHICH PLAINLY CARRY THE SUPPORT OF A VERY LARGE SECTION OF OPINION IN HONG KONG.

QUESTION:

SIGNING THE TREATY THEY'D NEVER AGREED TO, HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT YOU TO DO? THERE IS NO REAL RESPONSE IN HONG KONG?

GOVERNOR:

I THINK THAT THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL

OF EVIDENCE OVER THE LAST WEEKS, EVEN FROM OPINION POLLS THOUGH I HAVE NOT ENDURED BY PAST THE MOST SLAVISH ADMIRER OF OPINION POLLS, THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR WHAT I'VE PUT FORWARD, BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT YEAR IS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO TAKE A DECISION ON THE LEGISLATION WHICH IS EVENTUALLY PUT BEFORE THEM AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

QUESTION:

1997 (INAUDIBLE)

CHINESE.

·

HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THAT. RIGHT TO AFTER

•

GOVERNOR:

I THINK THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE MADE A SPECTACULAR SUCCESS OF EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE. I THINK WHATEVER PROPOSAL ARE EVENTUALLY PUT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND AGREED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL FORM THE BASIS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM 1995 ONWARDS. I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL WORK SUCCESSFULLY AND IT ISN'T MY EXPERIENCE THAT PEOPLE EVER WANT TO CHANGE THINGS THAT WORK SUCCESSFULLY, BUT YOU WERE RIGHT IN YOUR ANALYSIS OF WHERE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES AFTER 1997 LIE; BUT, I REPEAT, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT'S COMMONLY THE PRACTICE TO CHANGE THINGS THAT WORK WELL. PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF TAKING A GREATER SHARE IN MANAGING THEIR OWN AFFAIRS IN A WAY WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE, MATURE, RESTRAINED WITH STRENGTH, SENSIBLE.

QUESTION:

GOVERNOR:

YOU SAY THAT....(INAUDIBLE)

I HOPE THAT EVERYONE WHO CRITICISES WILL RECOGNISE THAT IT'S NOT JUST ENOUGH TO CRITICISE. THAT, WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG EXPECT IS TO HAVE ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD AND THAT GOES EVERYONE WHO HAS CRITICISED.

FOR

/QUESTION: I