XN000022-1993-10-30+31 — Page 6

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1993

CABINET COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS FINAL STAGE OF TALKS

THE

AFTERNOON

GOVERNOR,

THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, THIS (SUNDAY) SAID HE DID NOT THINK ANYBODY SHOULD EXPECT ANYTHING FINAL FROM THE FORTHCOMING CABINET COMMITTEE MEETING EXCEPT FOR AN AGREEMENT ON HOW TO BRING WHAT IS INEVITABLY THE FINAL STAGE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE OPENING OF THE WHARF CABLE, MR PATTEN SAID: "WE WILL BE GOING TO LONDON IN ABOUT A WEEK'S TIME FOR THE MEETING OF THE CABINET COMMITTEE WHICH WILL REVIEW THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN 15 ROUNDS OF TALKS.

"WE'LL BE DISCUSSING IN THAT CABINET COMMITTEE HOW TO HANDLE MATTERS IN WHAT MUST BE THE FINAL STAGES OF NEGOTIATIONS.

THE GOVERNOR SAID HE VERY MUCH HOPED THAT THOSE NEGOTIATIONS WOULD LEAD TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION,

"WE

HAVE MADE SUBSTANTIAL CONCESSIONS AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME MOVEMENTS FROM OUR CHINESE COLLEAGUES AS WELL, MR PATTEN SAID.

H

IF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REACH A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WE WILL BE SAD ABOUT IT. WE WILL HAVE TO GET ON AND DO THINGS AS BEST AS WE CAN OURSELVES.

"I

ON AN EARLIER OCCASION, MR PATTEN SAID THE FORTHCOMING CABINET COMMITTEE MEETING WOULD BE TAKING STOCK OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN 15 ROUNDS OF TALKS AND WOULD AGREE ON THE STRATEGY AND TACTICS FOR THE FINAL STAGES OF THE DISCUSSIONS.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING THE SCOUT RALLY AT MONG KOK STADIUM, MR PATTEN SAID: "WE WILL BE TAKING STOCK OF HOW FAR THE DISCUSSIONS HAVE GONE, AWARE OF THE FACT THAT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A LIMITLESS AMOUNT OF TIME.

"WE WILL BE ATTEMPTING IN DETERMINING OUR STRATEGY ΤΟ FIND IN WHICH WE CAN BRING THE DISCUSSIONS TO A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION.

WAYS

ין

AGREEMENT, THE BUT, OF COURSE, WE

STRESSING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD LIKE AN GOVERNOR SAID: "WE ARE WORKING FOR AN AGREEMENT WANT A GOOD AGREEMENT."

HE SAID IT WAS COMMON OF BOTH SIDES THAT TIME WAS NOT

LIMITLESS.

"WE DO HAVE TO GET ON BUT IT IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES то HAVE A THOROUGH REVIEW OF WHERE WE STAND AT THIS MOMENT AND TRY IN THE LAST STAGES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STORY HAS A HAPPY ENDING, MR PATTEN SAID.

GOOD

"IF IT DOESN'T HAVE AN IMMEDIATE HAPPY ENDING, WE'LL HAVE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE HERE IN HONG KONG THAT WE COULD PUT TOGETHER AS A STORY AS POSSIBLE.

I

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