XN000022-1992-12-01 — Page 10

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1992

GOVERNOR: SURPRISED

THINK THIS COUNCIL, WOULD BE

IF PROPOSALS WHICH IT GAVE BROAD APPROVAL TO ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO, WERE SUDDENLY WHIPPED OFF THE TABLE. I THINK THE COUNCIL WOULD FIND THAT AN ASTONISHING PIECE OF BEHAVIOUR BY THE GOVERNMENT. WHAT, ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD EXPECT THE GOVERNOR AND THE GOVERNMENT TO DO IS TO LISTEN INTENTLY IN CASE THERE ARE ANY BETTER PROPOSALS AVAILABLE. I HAVE TO SAY ONCE AGAIN THAT SO FAR I HAVEN'T BEEN KNOCKED-OVER IN A STAMPEDE OF PEOPLE COMING FORWARD WITH PROPOSALS WHICH THEY THOUGHT WERE BETTER. IN MY EXPERIENCE,

WHEN PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE PROPOSALS WHICH ARE BETTER THAN ONES THAT ONE HAS PUT FORWARD ONESELF, WHEN PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE PROPOSALS WHICH THEY THINK MAY BE MORE POPULAR THAN ONES THAT ONE HAS PUT FORWARD ONESELF, THEY'RE NOT ON THE WHOLE, BY AND LARGE, UNWILLING SUGGEST WHAT THOSE PROPOSALS MIGHT BE. AND THAT, I FANCY, IS POSITION WE'RE IN AT THE MOMENT.

MISS CHRISTINE LOH:

то

THE

A.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT DELIVERED FORMAL ULTIMATUM TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE REFORM PROPOSALS, ACCOMPANIED BY A SPECIFIC DECLARATION OF INTENDED RETRIBUTIVE ACTION?

NO, THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE HASN'T BEEN THE LATEST STATEMENT

GOVERNOR:

DONE IN PUBLIC, HASN'T BEEN DONE IN PRIVATE. THAT WAS MADE WAS THE ONE MADE YESTERDAY EVENING BY THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE. A STATEMENT WAS PUT OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT YESTERDAY EVENING ABOUT THAT.

AS THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WILL DOUBTLESS KNOW, CONTRACTS WHICH ARE VALIDLY LEGALLY ENTERED INTO BEFORE 1997 UNDER OUR COMMON LAW, ACCORDING TO BOTH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BAS LC LAW, SURVIVE THE TRANSITION то 1997, PROVIDED THAT THEY DON'T CONTRAVENE THE BASIC LAW, AND IT'S RATHER DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE A CONTRACT THAT WOULD CONTRAVENE THE BASIC

LAW. WE'VE BEEN PURSUING THAT PERFECTLY, SENSIBLY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY OURSELVES BY

HAVING REGULAR DISCUSSIONS IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP ABOUT FRANCHISES WHICH MIGHT COVER 1997, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO IN

So.

I'T

AND

DOING SO, WE'LL TAKE ACCOUNT OF WHAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT SAID YESTERDAY, WHEN IT REMARKED AT THE END OF ITS STATEMENT THAT IT WOULD TAKE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE IN EXAMINING AND APPROVING CONTRACTS. SAID THAT IT WANTED TO MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP LONG TERM PROSPERITY STABILITY IN HONG KONG. PERHAPS I SHOULD UNDERLINE THOSE WORDS. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT REITERATED THAT INVESTMENTS IN HONG KONG BY PRIVATE CAPITAL FROM BOTH CHINESE AND FOREIGNERS SOURCES REMAINS WELCOME. I ENDORSE THAT AS WELL. BUT APART FROM THAT STATEMENT, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY OTHER COMMUNICATION IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, SUCH AS THE HONOURABLE LADY WAS REFERRING TO.

MR MARTIN BARROW:

SIR, COULD YOU OUTLINE ANY PLANS FOR OVERSEAS VISITS IN 1993, AND IN PARTICULAR TO THE UNITED STATES, AND WOULD YOU CONSIDER INVITING A FEW HONG KONG BUSINESSMEN TO JOIN YOU IN WASHINGTON FOR A JOINT EFFORT ON MEN RENEWAL?

/GOVERNOR: THIS

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