XN000022-1993-05-31 — Page 2

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MONDAY, MAY 31, 1993

PROPOSALS WOULD BE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE: GOVERNOR

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THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (MONDAY) EXPRESSED HIS HOPE THAT THE BRITISH TEAM WOULD BE ABLE TO WORK CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH CHINESE NEGOTIATORS TO COME FORWARD WITH PROPOSALS WHICH WERE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WELL AS ACCEPTABLE TO THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS.

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SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER ACCOMPANYING THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, THE RT HON ALASTAIR GOODLAD, IN VISITING TSUEN WAN DISTRICT, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "THIS IS AN OBJECTIVE WHICH ALL OF US SHARE.

ASKED ABOUT THE TIMING OF LEGISLATING THE BILL, MR PATTEN SAID: "IF I WAS TO RING DATES IN THE CALENDAR AND SET DEADLINES, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO A GOOD ATMOSPHERE IN THE TALKS. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

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"NEVERTHELESS, AS I ALSO SAID BEFORE, TIME ISN'T INFINITE. DO HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE IMPERATIVES, WE DO OWE IT TO THE COMMUNITY GET THE ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE AS SOON AS WE REASONABLY CAN AND I AM SURE THAT THAT'S RECOGNISED BY CHINESE NEGOTIATORS.

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ON THE QUESTION WHETHER THERE IS SUFFICIENT TIME FOR LEGISLATORS TO CONSIDER THE BILL, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I UNDERSTAND WHY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IS KEEN THAT WE SHOULD KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

*I THINK TO BE HONEST IF IN RESPONSE то THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WE WERE TO SAY ALRIGHT FROM NOW ON, WE'LL REVEAL EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WILL BE HORRIFIED BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY WOULD RECKON IN MY JUDGMENT THAT THAT WAS NOT A VERY HELPFUL WAY OF CONDUCTING SERIOUS NEGOTIATIONS.

"I THINK THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDABLY WANTS TO

HAVE, IN DUE COURSE, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FULLY DEBATING WHATEVER PROPOSALS EMERGE, AS WE HOPE THEY WILL, FROM THE TALKS WITH CHINA. AND I THINK THAT THEY QUITE PROPERLY WANT TO HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO DEAL WITH LEGISLATION"

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ASKED ABOUT THE DECISION OF A LEGCO PANEL TO STUDY THE BILL THIS MORNING, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I THINK MYSELF THAT STUDY IS ALWAYS A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY OF APPROACHING PROBLEMS. BETTER TO STUDY THE MATTER FIRST, RATHER THAN MAKE A LOT OF NOISE BEFORE YOU STUDY THE ISSUE.

"SO I DON'T THINK THAT STUDYING THE PROPOSALS THAT WE PUT FORWARD LAST OCTOBER WHICH HAD BEEN DEBATED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COULD IN ANY WAY BE AN OBSTACLE TO THE SMOOTH PROGRESS OF THE TALKS WHICH WE HOPE ALL OF US WILL LEAD IN DUE COURSE TO A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION.

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RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ON THE PASSPORT ISSUE, MR GOODLAD SAID THAT HE WOULD BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TOMORROW.

"THERE IS A DELEGATION FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COMING ΤΟ LONDON EARLY IN JUNE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSIONS. WE WILL LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY BEFORE WE PUT FORWARD THE ORDER IN COUNCIL, HE ADDED.

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