XN000022-1992-12-01 — Page 15

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1992

S T TANG: POLITICAL

HELP THE

SIR,

IN THE PRESENT CONFUSED SITUATION ABOUT HONG KONG'S REFORMS, DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR PRESENTATION OVERSEAS CAN FOREIGNERS OF HAVE A FAIR EVALUATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF

HONG KONG WITHOUT KNOWING CHINA'S POSITION?

GOVERNOR:

IN

MY EXPERIENCE CHINA HAS NOT BEEN SLOW TO MAKE HER POSITION CLEAR. I HAVE THE DISTINCT IMPRESSION BEFORE EACH OF MY VISITS THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS, AS IS DOUBTLESS THEIR JOB, HAVE BEEN DOING THAT VERY VIGOROUSLY. LAST QUESTION.

SZETO WAH:

MR GOVERNOR, WHEN YOU WERE IN LONDON YOU SAID, YOU TALKED ABOUT EMPTY THREATS AND IT LED TO SOME MISUNDERSTANDING. AT THAT TIME, WHY DID YOU USE THE TERM EMPTY THREATS, BECAUSE IN THE LAST TWO DAYS IF YOU WERE TO USE ANOTHER ADJECTIVE, WOULD YOU USE ANOTHER ADJECTIVE? IF SO, WHAT WILL THAT NEW ADJECTIVE BE?

GOVERNOR:

IS

A

THE CONFUSION TO WHICH THE HONOURABLE MEMBER REFERS SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS I COULD EXPLAIN TO THOSE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WHO AREN'T AWARE OF IT. I USED THE WORD EMPTY THREATS, ACTUALLY THINK I USED IT IN CANADA, NOT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, AFTER STATEMENT HAD BEEN MADE DENOUNCING THIS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR HAVING THE TEMERITY TO DO WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO UNDER THE BASIC LAW. THAT IS, TO VOTE ON LEGISLATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. I USED THE WORD EMPTY THREATS IN RELATION TO THE STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE I THINK BY THE NONA ABOUT THAT VOTE AND IT WAS TRANSLATED BY ONE OF THE AGENCIES, MAKING I'M SURE A RARE ERROR, AS BEING EMPTY-HEADED RATHER THAN EMPTY THREATS. I WOULDN'T OF COURSE ACCUSE ANYONE FOR BEING EMPTY-HEADED UNDER ANY CONCEIVABLE CIRCUMSTANCES, BECAUSE AS THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WILL KNOW, I AM A MAN OF GREAT FORBEARANCE. THAT WAS THE CONFUSION AND EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS THE REACTION TO WHICH THE HONOURABLE MEMBER REFERRED, IT WAS ROOTED IN WHAT THE AGENCY SAID RATHER THAN WHAT THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG SAID. I DON'T WANT TO USE ADJECTIVES, THERE ARE A LOT OF ADJECTIVES BEING USED AT THE MOMENT, THEY ARE NOT BEING USED GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG, WHAT I WILL SAY IS JUST THIS. THOSE WHO TALK, AS WE ALL DO, ABOUT SECURING THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG SHOULD IN MY JUDGEMENT MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE AND SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF THE EFFECT THAT WORDS SOMETIMES HAVE IN A CONTRARY DIRECTION. I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL WORK FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I THINK THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG DESERVE BETTER THAN TO HAVE ANYTHING SAID ABOUT THEIR PROSPECTS WHICH MIGHT UNDERMINE THEIR PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BE ENORMOUSLY CONFIDENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND THAT WAS, AND REMAINS MY POSITION AND I'M SURE THAT THAT WILL BE THE BASIS ON WHICH THIS COUNCIL AFTER, AS I SAID EARLIER, AN INEVITABLY HEATED DEBATE WILL BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE.

BY THE

IS,

IN ACCORDANCE WITH STANDING ORDERS MAY I NOW ADJOURN THE COUNCIL UNTIL 2.30 P.M. ON WEDNESDAY, 2ND OF DECEMBER 1992.

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