XN000022-1993-05-13 — Page 11

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1993

GOVERNOR:

10

WELL, I ACTUALLY REFERRED IN MY STATEMENT TODAY TO THE CASE FOR UNCONDITIONAL MFN RENEWAL AND I SAID THAT WAS A CASE THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAD PUT AND THAT I HAD PUT AND THAT WAS THE CASE THAT I PUT TO PRESIDENT CLINTON, IT WAS THE CASE THAT I PUT TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND IF I WAS TO SAY THAT THE ONLY CASE I HAD PUT WAS FOR UNCONDITIONAL MFN RENEWAL, THE HONOURABLE MEMBER MIGHT SAY TO ME THAT I WAS PERHAPS BEING A LITTLE UNREALISTIC SINCE IT DID NOT LOOK TO THE OUTSIDE OBSERVER AS THOUGH UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL WAS LIKELY THIS YEAR.

SO I HAVE ALWAYS ADDED THE ARGUMENT AGAINST HEAVILY QUALIFIED MFN RENEWAL, BUT I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE HONOURABLE LADY, AS I SAID IN MY STATEMENT, THAT I ARGUED THE CASE FOR UNCONDITIONAL MFN RENEWAL. I DID THAT WHEN I SPOKE AT THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE MY VISIT TO WASHINGTON AND I MADE THAT CASE AGAIN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK.

IN

THE PRESIDENT:

MRS MIRIAM LAU:

FOLLOW THROUGH.

PERHAPS THE GOVERNOR CAN CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT

HE MEANS BY HEAVILY QUALIFIED.

GOVERNOR:

LADY

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I TAKE IT THAT THE HONOURABLE IS ACCEPTING THAT I SAID IN MY STATEMENT THAT I HAD ARGUED, WE HAD ARGUED, FOR UNCONDITIONAL MFN RENEWAL. THAT'S POINT ONE. RIGHT?

MRS MIRIAM LAU:

NOTWITHSTANDING

THAT GOVERNOR YOU

HAVE REPEATEDLY USED THE WORD HEAVILY QUALIFIED, WHICH GIVES ME A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN.

GOVERNOR:

THOUGH

WELL, I'VE USED THAT PHRASE BECAUSE IT LOOKS AS THE UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO CHANGE U.S. POLICY AND IS GOING TO INTRODUCE CONDITIONS, AND HEAVILY CONDITIONAL RENEWAL WOULD BE THE SORT OF RENEWAL SO HUNG ABOUT WITH CONDITIONS AS ΤΟ HAVE A SERIOUS IMPACT ON CHINA/US TRADE AND THEREFORE AN IMPACT ON US. BUT IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE HONOURABLE LADY BEYOND ANY DOUBT WHATSOEVER, I REPEAT ONCE AGAIN THAT I HAVE ARGUED THE CASE IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE FOR UNCONDITIONAL MFN RENEWAL. FULL STOP, PERIOD, END OF SENTENCE, END OF PARAGRAPH.

MS ANNA WU:

GOVERNOR, I WONDER IF ON YOUR TRIP ΤΟ THE UNITED STATES, HAVE YOU SUGGESTED TO ANY OF THOSE THAT YOU MET TO COME TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD AND TO ADDRESS THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS COLLECTIVELY? IF NOT, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO DO SO IN THE IMMEDIATE

FUTURE?

GOVERNOR:

THAT ISN'T AN INVITATION THAT I HAVE MADE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL'S BEHALF TO ANY OF THE LEADERS THAT I HAVE MET ON ANY OF MY TRIPS. I THINK I WOULD WANT TO HAVE THE ADVICE AND GUIDANCE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BEFORE 1 OFFERED SUCH AN INVITATION ON ITS BEHALF. I THINK THAT IT MAY BE A SHADE CONTROVERSIAL WERE I TO EXTEND AN INVITATION TO A PARTY WITHOUT OF ALL ENQUIRING OF THE HOST WHETHER THE HOST ACTUALLY WANTED TO GUESTS THAT EVENING AND FOOT THE BULL. SO IF THIS COUNCIL IN DUE COURSE WISHES TO BE ADDRESSED BY SOME OF THOSE WHO I HAVE MET, [ WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE COUNCIL. 1 AM SURE IN DUE THAT IT WILL BE, AS AN IMPORTANT ASSEMBLY.

FIRST HAVE

COURSE

/MS ANNA