XN000022-1993-09-03 — Page 4

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3,

1993

نيا

3

WITH

WITH

THAT

NOW, THAT IS A QUESTION WHICH WE HAVE TO DISCUSS NOT ONLY ALL THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE HERE IN HONG KONG, THE LOCAL CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS, BUT IT'S ALSO OBVIOUSLY AN ISSUE

NEED TO ADDRESS, I HOPE IN A

WAY, WE WILL

WITH OUR CONSTRUCTIVE COLLEAGUES IN THE PRC THROUGH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN DUB COURSE,

SO ON,

BECAUSE ANY ARRANGEMENTS THAT

то WE COME

WILL HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR AFTER 1997. THE INTERIM PROPOSAL WHICH WE ANNOUNCED A FEW WEEKS AGO DOESN'T HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR AFTER 1997 BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF YEAR CONTRACTS.

AND

I'VE ASKED THE STAFF SIDE OF THE SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE COUNCIL TO COME AND MEET ME LATER ON THIS MONTH AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN START A SERIOUS DIALOGUE ABOUT THE ISSUE AT THAT MEETING, AND I HOPE THAT THAT CAN BEGIN A PROCESS WHICH I HOPE WILL LEAD TO A CONCLUSION SATISFACTORY FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE IN HONG SATISFACTORY SATISFACTORY

J

WHICH 19 KONG

THE AS WELL FOR ALL THOSE TAXPAYERS WHO PAY FOR SERVICE HERE IN HONG KONG.

AND

PUBLIC

NOW, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS?

IF NOT, I'LL GO AND

HAVE

SOME TEA.

QUESTIONS:

MR PATTEN, DO YOU EXPECT THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS CAN BE CONCLUDED AFTER THE 12TH ROUND OF TALKS?

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I

GOVERNOR:

WELL, THEY ARE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON THE TENTH ROUND IN PEKING TOMORROW AND SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS I'M AFRAID I HOPE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. BUT I PREFER TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE TENTH ROUND BEFORE SPECULATING ABOUT HOW MUCH PROGRESS WE CAN MAKE IN FUTURE ROUNDS. THINK,

AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS A GENERAL HOPE AS I MENTIONED BARLIER, THAT THE MEETING BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTERS THAT WAS HELD IN JULY WILL GIVE THE TALKS THIS AUTUMN MUCH MORE OF AN IMPULSE SO THAT WE CAN ARRIVE AT A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION BUT RACH ROUND OF TALKS IS IMPORTANT AND MY CONCERN AT THE MOMENT IS THAT THE TENTH ROUND SHOULD BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS POSSIBLE.

QUESTION:

PROGRESS WHATSOEVER IN YOU REALLY THINK THERE REALLY

IN THE CHINESE NEWS SERVICE COMMENTARY TODAY, IT WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO THE TALKS. WE'VE GOT THE 10TH ROUND TOMORROW. IS ANY POINT IN CONTINUING. ARE THE CHINESE REACHING A COMPROMISE OR ANY AGREEMENT?

SINCERE ABOUT

/GOVERNOR