XN000022-1993-05-29 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1993

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NEXT ROUND OF TALKS TO BE ANNOUNCED

THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS ON ELECTORAL

ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN SAID THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING.

SPEAKING

TO REPORTERS BEFORE ATTENDING A PUBLIC FUNCTION, THE GOVERNOR SAID : "THERE IS AN AGREEMENT ON THE NEXT ROUND BUT FOR TECHNICAL REASONS THE CHINESE WERE NOT ABLE TO ANNOUNCE IT TODAY.

"WE KNOW WHEN THE NEXT ROUND IS GOING TO BE AND IT WILL BE ANNOUNCED TOMORROW.

"THE AMBASSADOR MADE THE POSITION PERFECTLY CLEAR WHEN HE WAS IN PEKING.

TH

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UNDERSTANDING TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO HK PEOPLE

* * *

WHEN AN UNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN REACHED WITH THE CHINESE IN THE NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELECTIONS IN 1994/1995, WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND TO THE HONG KONG PEOPLE, THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, THE RT HON ALASTAIR GOODLAD, SAID THIS (SATURDAY) AFTERNOON.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS UPON ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT FOR A FOUR-DAY VISIT, THE MINISTER SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD LISTENED TO MANY VIEWS AND THEY WOULD CONTINUE WITH THESE TALKS WITH PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE AND IN A POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE MANNER.

ASKED ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING, MR GOODLAD SAID: "WE WANT TO GET THE SPEEDIEST RESOLUTION OF THE AIRPORT

ARRANGEMENTS.'

"

ON HIS VISIT TO HONG KONG, HE SAID: "IT'S GOING TO BE CENTRED PREDOMINANTLY ON AN ENVIRONMENTAL THEME. I WANT TO GET TO GRIPS AT FIRST HAND ON ALL YOU ARE DOING HERE IN THAT VERY IMPORTANT SPHERE."

THE MINISTER ADDED THAT HE WOULD ALSO BE HAVING TALKS ON A VERY WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS WITH THE GOVERNOR, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND MANY OTHERS.

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