XN000022-1993-10-12 — Page 2

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1993

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A BIG DEAL TO REACH AGREEMENT IN TALKS

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT IT MATTERED THAT THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT, BUT NOT ANY AGREEMENT, IN THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS 1994/95.

FOR

THE

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, GOVERNOR SAID: "WE WANT A GOOD AGREEMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING SO HARD ABOUT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING SO CONSTRUCTIVELY FOR."

"I THINK IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL IF WE DIDN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT IN THE TALKS, HE SAID.

"I THINK EVERYBODY IN HONG KONG THINKS IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL IF WE DIDN'T REACH AN AGREEMENT IN THE TALKS.

"THAT'S WHY WE ARE TRYING ON OUR SIDE SO VERY HARD TO REACH AN AGREEMENT BECAUSE WE THINK THAT IT'S A BIG DEAL TO REACH AGREEMENT ABOUT THE SMOOTH POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG.

"SO WE'LL GO ON TRYING AS HARD AS WE CAN TO ACHIEVE A BIG DEAL BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD BE.

ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE RECENT ACCUSATION ON HIM FOR CREATING OBSTACLES, THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT ALL THE OPINION POLLS AND ALL THE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE OF THINGS ONE HEARD SUGGESTED THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG HAD CONSIDERABLE CONFIDENCE AND SELF-CONFIDENCE ABOUT THE FUTURE.

AND

"80 STICK

ELECTIONS

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I HOPE WE CAN PUSH THESE SORTS OF CRITICISMS TO ONE SIDE TO THE ARGUMENT AND THE ARGUMENT IS THAT WE WANT FAIR HERE IN HONG KONG IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE RULE OF LAW, IN REVENT CORRUPTION SIPPING INTO OUR OWN COMMUNITY.

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WHEN ASKED WHY THE BRITISH DID NOT AGREE TO SEPARATE THE 1994 AND 1995 ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR EXPLAINED THAT AT THE MOMENT, THINGS WERE BEING CUT VERY FINE AS IT WAS.

"YOU WOULDN'T ACHIEVE ANYTHING AT ALL BY TRYING TO SEPARATE THE DB (DISTRICT BOARD) ELECTIONS AND THE MC (MUNICIPAL COUNCIL) ELECTIONS FROM THE LEGCO (LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL) ELECTIONS.

"WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO HAVE OUR LEGISLATION FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN PLACE BY THE END OF JULY,' HE SAID.

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