XN000022-1993-03-24 — Page 17

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 1993

POSITION ON TALKS REAFFIRMED

* * * * *

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HION CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) SAID THAT TALKS ON THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS IN HONG KONG SHOULD TAKE PLACE ON THE SAME BASIS AS FOR THE LAST DECADE.

"THAT IS THE POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND REMAINS

HE SAID.

THE POSITION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT,

..

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WE REMAIN IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE HAPPY ΤΟ TALK AT ANY TIME.

"WE'RE PREPARED TO TALK ON THE BASIS ADVOCATED BY THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER, MR QIAN QICHEN, ON THE BASIS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, WHICH WE ARE DETERMINED TO UPHOLD; ON THE BASIS OF CONVERGENCE WITH THE BASIC LAW AND ON THE BASIS OF THE RELEVANT UNDERSTANDINGS AND AGREEMENTS MADE BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA."

"ANYONE WHO WANTS TO COME TO THE TABLE, WE WILL BE DELIGHTED

TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND TALK."

WHEN ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF HE COMPROMISED AND WENT AHEAD WITH TALKS WITH HONG KONG PEOPLE NOT ON THE SAME RASIS, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IF WE HAD ACCEPTED THAT, A TOTALLY NEW PROPOSAL FROM

NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE FOR THE LAST CHINA,

TEN YEARS, THE COMMUNITY WOULD HAVE BEEN OUTRAGED BY IT. I THINK THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF RELEGATING HONG KONG, BONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG SECOND CLASS STATUS."

++ DON'T THINK ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY SHOULD THINK THAT TALKS ARE ON THEIR OWN AN ANSWER, BECAUSE IF THERE WERE TO BE TALKS,

WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF VERY DIFFICULT THEY

PROBLEMS, VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES," HE ADDED.

+

"IF THERE AREN'T TO BE TALKS AT THE MOMENT THOUGH I'M SURE THERE WILL BE TALKS ONE DAY, IF THERE AREN'T TO BE TALKS FOR THE MOMENT, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF DEALING WITH THESE MATTERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

"I'M SURE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL DEAL WITH THEM IN A VERY RESPONSIBLE WAY AND WE CAN'T, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, DELAY

INDEFINITELY.

THE

HAD

WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE TIMING OF INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL INTO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR PATTEN SAID THAT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO DECIDE WHETHER TO INTRODUCE THE BILL INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL JUST BEFORE THE EASTER RECESS OR JUST AFTER THE EASTER RECESS PROVIDED THAT THERE WERE NOT OTHER DEVELOPMENTS WHICH HAD TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

" །

[ DON'T WANT TO START TALKING IN TERMS OF DEADLINE IN THE CALENDAR BECAUSE I THINK THAT ALWAYS CREATES FRICTIONS WHICH I DON'T WANT TO SEE, HE SAID.

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"BUT.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE BILL INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SO THAT LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS HAVE A PROPER OPPORTUNITY OF DEALING WITH IT IS, I THINK, CLEAR TO EVERYONE.

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