XN000022-1992-12-01 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1992

THE

AND THE

BRITISH GOVERNMENT RESOLUTELY SUPPORTS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S POSITION THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS SHOULD BE FAIR, SHOULD BE OPEN, AND SHOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT RESOLUTELY SUPPORTS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S FIRM CONVICTION THAT OUR PROPOSALS ARE FAIR AND OPEN.

THEY HAVE BEEN WELL RECEIVED IN HONG KONG. BRITISH GOVERNMENT ALSO BELIEVES, AS I DO, THAT IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY BETTER PROPOSALS THAT ARE FAIR, OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, THEN THEY SHOULD PUT THEM FORWARD. I HAPPEN то BELIEVE THAT MY PROPOSALS ARE GOOD ONES. I WILL ARGUE FOR THEM ON THEIR MERITS. BUT IF ANYONE HAS ANY BETTER ARGUMENTS, OR BETTER PROPOSALS, THEN I'M WILLING TO CONSIDER THEM CAREFULLY AND SINCERELY, AND SO TOO, I IMAGINE, IS THIS COUNCIL.

IT IS A MATTER BOTH OF FACT AND PRINCIPLE THAT MY PROPOSALS WILL ULTIMATELY BE DECIDED UPON HERE IN HONG KONG. IT IS A MATTER OF FACT BECAUSE THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTIONS WILL REQUIRE LEGISLATION AND IT IS ONLY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH CAN PASS SUCH LEGISLATION. IT IS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE BECAUSE THE CABINET BELIEVES, JUST AS I DO, THAT IT MUST SUPPORT THE ASPIRATIONS. OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS REFLECTED BY THIS COUNCIL.

THERE I WATANABE,

I VISITED JAPAN FROM THE 25TH-28TH NOVEMBER. MET THE PRIME MINISTER MR MIYAZAWA, THE FOREIGN MINISTER MR AND OTHER SENIOR POLITICAL LEADERS. I ALSO ATTENDED THE OPENING SESSION OF THE JAPAN-HONG KONG BUSINESS CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE AND MET A LARGE NUMBER OF JAPANESE BUSINESS LEADERS. TRADE LINKS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND JAPAN ARE STRONG AND GROWING AND 1 WAS DELIGHTED THAT MANY DISTINGUISHED HONG KONG BUSINESS AMBASSADORS ATTENDED THE JAPAN- HONG KONG BUSINESS CO-OPERATION COMMITTEE MEETING.

JAPAN AND HONG KONG HAVE SIMILAR PERSPECTIVES ON VITAL ISSUES SUCH AS FREE TRADE AND MFN STATUS FOR CHINA. WE'RE BOTH CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLITICISATION OF TRADE. I BRIEFED MY JAPANESE HOSTS ON HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT.

MY VISITS ABROAD HAVE LEFT ME IN NO DOUBT HOW MANY FRIENDS HONG KONG HAS AROUND THE WORLD. THOSE FRIENDS ADMIRE HONG KONG'S ACHIEVEMENTS AND THEY WISH US WELL.

I AM PLEASED THAT IN MY ABSENCE THE REQUEST FOR FUNDING ΤΟ ENABLE THE AIRPORT SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT ΤΟ PROCEED WAS APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE LAST FRIDAY AFTER AN INTENSIVE AND LENGTHY DEBATE. THIS WAS A VITAL DECISION. IT ENABLES US TO TAKE AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN HONG KONG'S AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME AND ΤΟ CONTINUE ΤΟ MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.

THE DECISION ALSO GIVES LES MORE TIME ΤΟ SEEK AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON THE OVERALL FINANCING PLAN; REACHING AGREEMENT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR PRIME AIM.

THAT

/ON CONSTITUTIONAL