XN000022-1993-08-19 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1993

GOVERNMENT CONTINUES DIALOGUE WITH CIVIL SERVANTS

THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE DEPARTMENTS AND CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS AND WOULD TRY TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS RELATING то LOCALISATION POLICY AMICABLY.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING A CHEMICAL WASTE TREATMENT CENTRE ON TSING YI, SIR DAVID SAID THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISED THAT THAT WAS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM THAT HAD TO BE DEALT WITH.

"IT'S A PROBLEM OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH WE HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH. WE COULDN'T IGNORE IT. WE HAD TO TAKE ACTION," HE SAID.

"I HOPE THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE GENERALLY WILL FOLLOW THE TRADITION WHICH WE'VE HAD IN THE CIVIL SERVICE OF SITTING DOWN TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS.

** I DON'T THINK TAKING ANY FORM OF DRAMATIC ACTION WILL HELP CARRY US AS FURTHER FORWARD, HE NOTED.

HE SAID THAT NO DOUBT DISCUSSIONS COULD BE HELD IN A RATIONAL AND COOL WAY.

ASKED IF THE CHINESE SIDE HAD SUGGESTED TO PUT THE ISSUE ON THE AGENDA OF THE NEXT JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING, SIR DAVID SAID THEY HAD NOT YET DISCUSSED THE AGENDA.

"IF THE CHINESE SIDE WISH TO PUT FORWARD THAT PROPOSAL, IT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER, HE SAID.

"BUT AS WR MADE THE POINT BEFORE, THIS IS AN INTERIM

IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS AFTER

ARRANGEMENT. HE ADDED.

..

1997.

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WHAT WE REALLY LIKE TO DISCUSS IN THE JLG ARE THE PERMANENT, LONG-TERM ARRANGEMENTS FOR PERMANENT RESIDENTS IN HONG KONG AND THAT WILL APPLY TO THE CIVIL SERVICE.

HOW

"THAT'S THE SUBJECT THAT WE WOULD VERY MUCH WELCOME DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE," HE EXPLAINED.

SIR DAVID ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE THE LONG-TERM ARRANGEMENTS THAT EXTENDED BEYOND 1997.

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'WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AS TO WHO WILL BE A PERMANENT RESIDENT AFTER 1997, HOW THAT WILL BE SET ABOUT, AND ALSO THEN HOW WE CAN APPLY THAT TO THE CIVIL SERVICE SO THAT WE CAN MOVE TOWARDS A SITUATION IN WHICH WE HAVE COMMON TERMS OF SERVICE.

"THAT'S SOMETHING WHICH WE WOULD LIKE TO DO AND WE ARE ANXIOUS ΤΟ START THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, HE SAID.

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