XN000022-1993-04-13 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1993

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION ON WHETHER THE FOUR OFFICIALS HAD THE SAME STATUS AS SIR ROBIN, SIR DAVID SAID: "THE LEADER IS ALWAYS A LEADER OF ANY TEAM AND THAT IS THE CASE IN THE JLG OR WHENEVER THERE ARE TALKS AND HE HAS SUPPORTERS.

"THE SUPPORTERS ARE THE SUPPORTERS WHO COME FROM HONG KONG AND FROM LONDON AND, IN THIS CASE, THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HONG KONG SUPPORT TEAM AND THE LONDON SUPPORT TEAM.

THE

"AND THEY WILL BE FULLY PARTICIPATING IN THE TALKS AND THAT IS THE PATTERN WHICH HAS BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE PAST AND THERE'S NOTHING DIFFERENT HAPPENING THIS TIME.

M

RESPONDING TO A QUESTION AS TO HOW LONG THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT COULD WAIT BEFORE TABLING THE BILL INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR DAVID SAID: "IT REMAINS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO REACH AN EARLY AGREEMENT SO THAT ANY AGREEMENT CAN BE PUT INTO LEGISLATIVE FORM.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THIS

"IT CAN BE THEN INTRODUCED INTO THE DISCUSSED AND HOPEFULLY AGREED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DURING SESSION. THAT REMAINS OUR ATM AND OUR WISH.

**

ON CONSULTATION WITH LEGCO IN THE COURSE OF DISCUSSIONS, SIR DAVID SAID IT WOULD NOT BE PROPER OR NORMAL DURING NEGOTIATIONS OF THIS TYPE TO REVEAL THE CONTENTS OF THOSE WHILE THEY WERE IN PROGRESS.

"THIS 15 AGAIN NOTHING UNUSUAL. BUT I THINK WE HAVE A VERY CLEAR IDEA OF THE VARIOUS VIEWS AND THEY WILL CERTAINLY BE IN OUR MIND AS WE ENTER INTO THESE TALKS, HE ADDED.

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OFFICIALS IN TALKS

IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM A NUMBER OF NEWSPAPERS TODAY ON WHO WILL SUPPORT SIR ROBIN MCLAREN IN THE TALKS, A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID, SIR ROBIN WILL BE SUPPORTED BY MR MICHAEL SZE, SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, MR WILLIAM EHRMAN,

POLITICAL ADVISER, MR PETER RICKETTS, HEAD OF THE HONG KONG DEPARTMENT OF THE FCO, AND MR PETER AFFAIRS.

LAI, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL

IN RESPONSE TO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM MANY REPORTERS REGARDING

OFFICIALS THE STATUS OF THE HONG KONG

WOULD BE FULL MEMBERS OR ADVISERS

WHETHER

THEY

KONG

TALKS

IN

HONG

AT THE TALKS, AND EXPERTS, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: "THEY WILL TAKE PART IN THE EXACTLY THE SAME WAY AS THEY HAVE DONE IN PREVIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.

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