XN000022-1993-07-27 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JULY 27, 1993

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GOVERNOR TO REVIEW TALKS IN LONDON

REVIEW

WOULD

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID HE

WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR DOUGLAS HURD, AND OTHER OFFICIALS ON THURSDAY PROGRESS OF SINO-BRITISH TALKS AND DISCUSS THEM OTHER ISSUES OF CONCERN IN THE TERRITORY.

COUNCIL

BR

WITH

EXECUTIVE REVIEWING WE'VE

EIGHTH

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS ON HIS LONDON VISIT AFTER THE

MEETING TODAY (TUESDAY), MR PATTEN SAID: "I'LL WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND WITH OFFICIALS THE PROGRESS THAT

IN MADE

THE THE TALKS WITH CHINA, PROGRESS THAT WAS MADE IN ROUND, AND PREPARING THE BRIEF FOR THE NINTH ROUND OF TALKS.

OF

OF

"I ALSO WILL BE RAISING A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES WHICH ARE CONSIDERABLE CONCERN HERE IN HONG KONG, FOR EXAMPLE, THE POSITION THOSE ETHNIC GROUPS WHOSE CONCERN HAS BEEN FOLLOWED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OVER THE MONTHS."

MR PATTEN SAID IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE REGULAR DISCUSSIONS TO THIS FOREIGN SECRETARY AND THAT HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD

WITH THE ONE,

IN REPLY

OF TO QUESTIONS ON THE FUTURE OF THE PRINCE

WALES BUILDING, MR PATTEN POINTED OUT THAT DISCUSSIONS ON DEFENCE LANDS WERE MAKE ANY YBT CONCLUDED, ADDING THAT HE WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO ANNOUNCEMENT.

HE

IT CLEAR THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO STRIKE MADE BETWEEN THE NEEDS OF THE PRESENT AND FUTURE GARRISON AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG.

A

BALANCE ECONOMIC

"AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE HAVE TO BALANCE IS FIRST OF ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GARRISON IN HONG KONG BOTH TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE AND SECONDLY THE IMPORTANCE OF USING LAND AND PARTS OF THE DEFENCE ESTATE WHICH

PURPOSES AREN'T REQUIRED FOR DEFENCE

IN INTERESTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG.

THE

A BALANCE WHICH WE'RE DETERMINED TO STRIKE AS BEST "THAT'S WE CAN FOR THE ORDINARY PEOPLE OF HONG KONG."

AS

MR PATTEN NOTED THAT THE PRESENT GARRISON HAS BEHAVED EXTREMELY OVER THE YEARS AND HAD DONE AN

JOB WITH GREAT EXCELLENT

SENSITIVITY.

WELL

GOVERNOR

THE ABOUT PROGRESS IN THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS, ASKED SAID MORE PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN RECENT ROUNDS BUT THERE WAS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THOSE WERE DIFFICULT ISSUES.

"AND I'VE SAID AS WELL THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED

THESE

ISSUES ARE TAKING A GREAT DEAL OF NEGOTIATING TIME.

門

DIFFICULT ISSUES, HE SAID.

THAT THEY ARE

MR

PATTEN DENIED SUGGESTIONS THAT HE HAD CHANGED POSITION HAD SET A DEADLINE ON THE TALKS.

AND

/"SO NO

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