XN000022-1992-10-28 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1992

"THAT INDEED IS THE WAY WE HAVE OPERATED IN THE PAST."

HE SAID IT HAD LED TO SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS OVER SUCH ISSUES AS THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE BRITISH NATIONALITY SCHEME

THE WHERE CHINESE GOVERNMENT RESOLUTELY OPPOSED WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DOING.

THEY

KONG,'

THE

"BUT, I REPEAT, OUR DECISIONS SHOULD BE JUDGED BY WHETHER ARE IN

HONG THE BEST OVERALL INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF CHIEF SECRETARY SAID.

THAT PRINCIPLE

ALSO APPLIES то THE PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM PUT FORWARD BY THE GOVERNOR IN HIS ANNUAL ADDRESS, HE SAID.

"IT REMAINS OUR WISH TO REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CHINESE WILL GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUE AS WE DO WITH ALL OTHER ISSUES, AND WE CERTAINLY BE WORKING HARD TO TRY TO REACH SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING.

OUR

"WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT IF THE CHINESE SIDE CONTINUES TO OBJECT HE PROPOSALS THEY WILL PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS OF THEIR OWN,

11

TO SAID.

HE ALSO SAID THE DESIRABILITY OF MAINTAINING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA WAS WELL RECOGNISED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.

IT IS "IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MAJOR FACTOR IN OUR POLICY MAKING. EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW AS WE MOVE TOWARDS 1997 WHEN CHINA WILL RESUME SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG.

11

"HONG KONG PEOPLE, WHOSE FUTURE CAN BE INFLUENCED GREATLY BY COURSE RECOGNISE THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT RELATIONSHIP

UNDER OUR CONCERN WHEN THE RELATIONSHIP IS

"

STRAIN,

AND HE

CHINA, OF WILL SHARE SAID.

BUT HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA IS NOT ENTITY OF ITS OWN, HE ADDED.

FREE-STANDING

"IT IS NOT A BENCH-MARK AGAINST WHICH OUR ACTIONS ALONE MUST BE JUDGED, HE SAID.

HE

ACTIONS SAID THE RELATIONSHIP ITSELF WAS A PRODUCT OF DECISIONS TAKEN BY BOTH SIDES.

AND

"THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN IT IS UNDER STRAIN BECAUSE ONE OR THE OTHER TAKES DECISIONS WHICH ARE IN ITS OWN BEST INTERESTS ARE NOT WELCOME BY THE OTHER, SIR DAVID SAID.

T

SIDE

BUT

RELATIONSHIP

AT

IT SURELY FOLLOWS THAT THE FURTHERANCE OF A GOOD DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT BOTH SIDES CAN AGREE ON ALL ISSUES ALL TIMES, HE ADDED.

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