XN000022-1993-03-02 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1993

GOVERNOR PROMISES A STATEMENT BEFORE END OF WEEK

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THE

GOVERNOR, THE ᎡᎢ HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT HE WOULD MAKE A STATEMENT BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK WHICH WOULD SET OUT THE WAY AHEAD REGARDING POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THIS MORNING'S EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, MR PATTEN SAID: "I THINK THERE ARE TWO PARTICULAR SORTS OF REALITY IN RELATION TO THAT WHICH WE ALL HAVE TO RECOGNISE.

"THE FIRST WAS PUT VERY CLEARLY AND COHERENTLY BY LEADERS OF THE CRC (CO-OPERATIVE RESOURCES CENTRE) DELEGATION IN PEKING WHEN THEY POINTED OUT WHAT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES ARE HERE IN HONG KONG.

"THOSE ARE WELL KNOWN TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANY RESPONSIBLE PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY SUGGESTS THAT THEY SHOULD BE CHANGED BUT THE POSITION WAS VERY WELL EXPLAINED BY CRC LEADERS THEMSELVES.

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ON ANOTHER SORT OF REALITY, MR PATTEN SAID: "I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY WOULD EXPECT IF TALKS WERE TO TAKE PLACE THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD REACH ANY AGREEMENT WHICH WE DIDN'T BELIEVE IS ACCEPTABLE TO HONG KONG AND ACCEPTABLE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

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"80, ANY AGREEMENT THAT WE RECOMMENDED WOULD BE ONE THAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AND ACCEPTABLE TO LEGCO."

WHEN ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE CHINESE PREMIER'S REMARKS ABOUT RESUMPTION OF TALKS, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WELCOMED HIS REMARKS.

"FOR MONTHS NOW, YOU HEARD ME SAY THAT I WILL BE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS AT ANY STAGE WITHOUT PRECONDITION, VERY HAPPY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATIONS, THE BASIC LAW AND EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS.

"So, AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, A DISCUSSION ON THAT BASIS

WITHOUT ANY PRECONDITION IS ABSOLUTELY FINE.

PEKING, MR BEING

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ON DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES WHICH ARE TAKING PLACE IN PATTEN SAID: "THESE HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME AND I HOPE ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC THAT WE WILL SOON SEE THE RESULTS WHICH I AM SURE EVERY SENSIBLE, RATIONAL PERSON CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE KONG WOULD LIKE

OF

HONG

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