XN000022-1993-03-17 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1993

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GOVERNOR TO STUDY MR LU PING'S STATEMENT

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THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON THAT HE WOULD STUDY CAREFULLY WHAT THE DIRECTOR OF HONG KONG AND MACAO OFFICE OF CHINA'S STATE COUNCIL, MR LU PING, HAD SAID BEFORE RESPONDING BECAUSE IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A STATEMENT WHICH DESERVED TO BE TREATED IN A SERIOUS WAY.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER WESTERN DISTRICT, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE THAT HONG KONG WOULD BE VERY HAPPY PRECONDITION AT ANY TIME.

IN A

VISITING THE CENTRAL AND HAD SAID AGAIN AND AGAIN то HAVE TALKS WITHOUT

"AND WE SAID THAT AGAIN BOTH IN A COMMUNICATION FROM ME AND COMMUNICATION FROM THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WHEN AT THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY, WE HANDED OVER TO CHINESE OFFICIALS A COPY OF THE BILL ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT WHICH HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, HE SAID.

M

"WE WERE VERY HAPPY WHEN IN RESPONSE TO THAT MESSAGE, WE HAD A MESSAGE IN REPLY, SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOW HAVE DISCUSSIONS.

**1 AM SORRY THAT WE HAVEN'T MADE A PROGRESS IN STARTING THOSE DISCUSSIONS. WE AVOIDED, WE DELAYED GAZETTING THE BILL FOR FRIDAY AFTER FRIDAY.

"BUT, AT THE END OF LAST WEEK, RATHER THAN THE GAP BETWEEN THE SIDES NARROWING, THE GAP WAS GETTING BIGGER AND WAS GETTING BIGGER FOR ONE REASON WHICH IS, I THINK, WHOLLY NEW IN CERTAINLY OVER THE LAST DECADE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA.

DISCUSSIONS

WAS GETTING OFFICIALS

"WHAT WAS THE POINT WHICH MEANT THAT THE GAP WIDER IS BEING MADE CLEAR, UNEQUIVOCALLY CLEAR, BY CHINESE OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.

OFFICIALS

"THE NONA SAID CLEARLY THAT HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD NO RIGHT TO A PLACE IN THE TEAM REPRESENTING BRITAIN AT TALKS. THE FOREIGN OFFICE SPOKESMAN OF CHINA SAID THAT THE PEOPLE OF COULD NOT HAVE OFFICIALS AT THE TALKS TALKING.

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HONG KONG

THE GOVERNOR SAID THIS WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT BASIS FROM THE DISCUSSIONS THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.

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"I THINK THERE WILL BE MANY PEOPLE WHO WILL WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION WHY WAS THIS NEW PRECONDITION SUDDENLY INTRODUCED, HE SAID.

"IT DOESN'T APPLY IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

IT HASN'T APPLIED IN DISCUSSIONS IN THE PAST ON THE JOINT DECLARATION.

ז"

SET OUT LAST FRIDAY THAT WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO TALK ON THE BASIS ARGUED FOR, INSISTED ON BY CHINA THAT THE TALKS SHOULD BE TO CONSIDER MATTERS ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, CONVERGENCE WITH THE BASIC LAW AND THE RELEVANT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES."

UNDERSTANDINGS AND

AGREEMENTS

/THE GOVERNOR