XN000022-1993-05-14 — Page 3

FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1993

1

THE GOVERNOR AND LADY THATCHER SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA AT THE GRAND PLAZA HOTEL

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GOVERNOR:

VISITING VISITING

THATCHER,

AS YOU KNOW, I SPEND ONE AFTERNOON EVERY

WEEK

A DISTRICT BOARD BUT IT WAS A PARTICULAR PLEASURE TODAY THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD ΤΟ ВЕ ACCOMPANIED BY LADY LADY THATCHER WAS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WHICH GUARANTEES HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE, FREEDOM, PROSPERITY, STABILITY, INTO THE FUTURE, SO IT IS ALWAYS A GREAT PLEASURE WHEN SHE VISITS HONG KONG AND WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HER MANY TIMES IN THE FUTURE.

I ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO GO ROUND THE EASTERN DISTRICT WITH HER TODAY, I ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO SEE ALL THAT THE DISTRICT BOARD IS DOING TO TACKLE SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND TRAFFIC PROBLEMS WHICH CONFRONT THEM AND EVEN THOUGH Į WON'T BE ACCOMPANIED ON ALL MY FUTURE DISTRICT VISITS BY AS ILLUSTRIOUS A GUEST, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PATTERN OF GETTING OUT INTO HONG KONG INTO THE COMMUNITY AS FREQUENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

LADY THATCHER:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, 1 HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY TO ACCOMPANY THE GOVERNOR ROUND A WONDERFUL TOUR OF EASTERN DISTRICT WHERE WE'VE HAD A TERRIFIC WELCOME AND SMILING FACES ON ALL SIDES. I THINK THE POINT THAT IMPRESSED ME ABOVE ALL IS THE GREAT ESTEEM AND AFFECTION IN WHICH THE GOVERNOR IS HELD BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THE RAPPORT HE HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED WITH THEM AND THE WAY IN WHICH THEY TRUST HIM. THAT IS A GREAT, TREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENT FOR HIM AND I WAS VERY HAPPY TO BE WITH HIM AND WITNESS IT FOR MYSELF.

I THINK IN HONG KONG WE HAVE BUILT UP SOMETHING OF GREAT VALUE TO THE WORLD AS A WHOLE, WITH SOUND BRITISH ADMINISTRATION, THE GREAT BRITISH RULE OF LAW AND JUSTICE INDEPENDENTLY ADMINISTERED, AND A FREE PNTERPRISE SOCIETY AND EXERCISE OF FREEDOM UNDER THE RULE OF LAW. ALL THAT, WITH THE CHINESE CHARACTER, HAVE BUILT UP WHAT HAS BECOME HONG KONG AND ONE OF THE MOST PROSPEROUS SOCIETIES IN THE PACIFIC. I HOPE AND BELIEVE THAT OTHERS WILL FOLLOW OUR EXAMPLE AND UNDERSTAND THAT FREEDOM UNDER A RULE OF LAW IS THE WAY AHEAD FOR BOTH THE DIGNITY AND THE PROSPERITY PEOPLES.

OF

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NOW I THINK THAT ES ALL. I HAVE TO SAY ON

THIS

OCCASION. I SHALL COME TO HONG KONG, I HOPE, MANY TIMES BEFORE AND I SHALL HOPE TO BE HERE ON THE CRUCIAL DAY IN 1997, SO I SHALL ABOUT, I HOPE, WITH THE GOVERNOR QUITE A BIT.

QUESTION:

1997 BE

THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN CAMPAIGNING VERY HARD ALONGSIDE YOU TODAY, DO YOU SEE DIM AS AN EVENTUAL PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM”

/LADY THATCHER